Harry's  Magical Cousin
by RebeccaRoy
Summary: Harry was surprised to get a letter from Hogwarts, then his cousin Dudley just had to get one too.  Harry is less than pleased to have to go to Hogwarts with his bully of a cousin.  Features a cynical, but still light Harry.
1. Chapter 1: Two Letters

Number 4 Private Drive: July 1991

Harry should have been thrilled to go to Hogwarts, it would mean he would get away from his relations and finally be able to be himself. Yet someone, the fates maybe or God had it in for him as on a bright summer day as he was sent to get the mail (he did not dare look at it as he did not want to get smacked by his aunt for that) two letters had come. He had given the mail to his relations and then, before he could finish what breakfast he was given (two pieces of bacon, an egg and two slices of toast) he was forced into his cupboard which was his bedroom. As always he was to be blamed for anything that went wrong or anything that was strange. So something had to be strange in the mail for his relations to act this way.

Young Harry knew the rules of survival very well by now, he knew to keep quiet, to speak only when spoken to and only short respectful answers at that. In this house he was to be invisible as much as possible, he was given few chores as his relations did not want to have to oversee him and if he was seen his aunt would more often than not find something wrong with him and hit or pinch him. He was forced to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs and to wear his cousin's castoffs and had no friends at school due to his cousin. At least his family did not care what grades he got so he was free, at least in that area to do as good as he wanted and what with being in different classes than Dudley he at least could get away from him for a short time that way. Still at home and school he was an outcast and would be even more so when he went to Stonewall high.

Yet for all that Harry knew it could be worse and he, at least deserved to be treated this way as he really was different. Strange things always happened around him, once a teacher's wig had turned blue and just before school got out he had ended up on the roof of the school when Dudley had been chasing him (it was good that the teachers had not seen that or the beating from his aunt would really have hurt). No he was far from normal and knew something had to be wrong with him to do the things he did. He was surprised after an hour to be allowed out of his cupboard and even more surprised at what his uncle had to say to both of the boys. He did so in the lounge, Dudley was sprawled out on the couch, Harry stood respectfully and dared not move or ask questions as his large uncle paced then turned to face the boys.

"You have these letters." Vernon said, "seems you are both wizards."

"As in magic?" Dudley asked his piggy eyes lighting up in amazement, "so I can do magic, but Harry is a freak, what about him?"

"Unfortunately he can do magic as well." Petunia said hoping to get a reaction out of Harry, but as always the boy did not even react, "his useless parents got themselves blown up and left him with us."

Harry refused to show any surprise, after all his aunt had tried to get to him by trying to convince him his parents were worthless and drunks. Somehow Harry had known this was not the case and had never believed her, yet he was not stupid enough to ask her questions, she hit hard. Vernon did not hit him, then again he did not believe in using more energy than he had to or so Harry had convinced himself. There was one change that Dudley normally would have thrown a tantrum over but now he just sneered at Harry as Harry was moved into his spare bedroom. This was to keep up appearances as a professor was coming to see the family and take them to Diagon Alley for their shopping. Harry was not looking forward to that, he knew his relations would not like buying anything for him and would make sure he continued to look as ragged and bad as he did now.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Diagon Alley July 1991:

Harry was sure professor McGonagall was not fond of him at all, every time she looked at him she scowled, making her look more severe than before. He was not sure if it was due to his messy black hair, or his large glasses or just him she did not like. She had taken the family to Diagon Alley, Harry was surprised that his aunt and uncle did not protest at the magical way this was done. They were fawning over Dudley who was clad in his best suit that to Harry made him look like a pig in a wig in a suit. This was because Dudley was very fat, his blond hair was plastered on his head and his suit barely fit him. Harry followed his family, keeping his head down and not really looking at the alley as they headed to a large snow white building. It was here his luck changed and for the better as he ran into a short very fat man and very nearly fell to the ground.

"Easy there lad." The man said helping Harry up and Harry looked up to see two watery green eyes in a round face that was aged with a large white mustache that would give uncle Vernon's a run for its money. "You alright then?"

"Yes sir, I am sorry sir." Harry said knowing his relations would not like this.

"Merlin, you are Lily's child." The man said just as Vernon came up.

"I am sorry about the boy bothering you." Vernon said.

"No, not at all." The man, Horace Slughorn said looking at Harry keenly, "I knew his mother quite well in school, oh I am Horace Slughorn."

"Vernon Dursley, pleased to er meet you." Vernon said.

Horace Slughorn had once been the head of Slytherin house before he retired. In his time there he had seen many children who were abused as he was one of those at Hogwarts who helped take care of the abused children. He could see Harry was not as cared for as he should have been, he could not see bruises on him and he did not flinch when his uncle came up. Still he acted extremely submissive and did not speak when he was berated by his uncle. It was then Horace made a decision, it was not to gain more fame, he was going to help this boy as he had helped others in the past as he could see Harry needed it. Besides seeing those eyes again reminded him of a pure light that was snuffed out from the world ten long years ago. He had to be very careful about this as he was sure what kind of people the Dursleys were. Besides he owed Lily Potter nee Evans for her sacrifice that saved her son and allowed Harry to live and gave the magical world ten years of peace.

"You know sir I knew Lily Evans." Horace said, "I taught at school, I would not mind taking your nephew around the alley."

"We have to get his things." Vernon said, "heaven knows his parents left him nothing."

"Well, there is a fund for students who cannot pay, that could be used for young Mr. Potter here." Slughorn said, "in fact I can take him, still owe the headmaster a few favors."

"Very well." Vernon said turning to Harry, "you behave boy, you don't and I will tell your aunt you got me?"

"Yes sir." Harry replied quietly.

"Good, see that you do." Vernon said glad to not have to deal with Harry, he did not hate the boy but he did not like how Harry always managed to get his dear Petunia upset, "or you know what will happen when your aunt deals with you."

"Yes sir." Harry replied knowing full well what would happen, he still had the bruises from the last 'lesson' from his aunt under his clothes.

"Well then, good, come along Mr. Potter." Slughorn said.

He took in Harry and was not happy at what he saw, the boy was not starved, he was at least a healthy weight and though an inch or so on the short side for his age he did not look as if he was denied food. Clearly it was not his uncle he feared, his aunt who Slughorn knew about as when he questioned Severus about a bruise he came back to school with over one Christmas break, he had said she had hit him, hard. Slughorn wanted to know exactly what the headmaster was thinking leaving Harry Potter with such a one as her when she hated her sister and those like her. Merlin she would have done well in the middle ages as part of the inquisition as she was just as bad as them. He walked up to a goblin and watched Harry as he looked at the creature warily but did not seem to fear it, he was just being cautious.

"How can I help you sir?" The goblin asked.

"Ah Griphook, this is Harry Potter." Slughorn said quietly, "he needs to get to his vault but well we don't have the key."

"I see, I will need to verify that." Griphook said.

"He needs a few drops of blood Harry, so you can get to your vault." Slughorn said, "he will do his best not to hurt you."

"I have money?" Harry said doing his best not to look bewildered.

"Yes you do." Slughorn said, "just put your hand there, goblins do not really enjoy hurting others, no matter what some people say."

"No just eat you in a pot." Griphook said grinning and even Harry smirked a bit at the joke seeing it for a joke, "now then a few drops here."

"Yes sir." Harry said holding out his hand and letting Griphook prick his finger and have a few drops fall to the paper below, at once his name and that of his parents came up at once. "That is brilliant sir."

"Yes, makes it easy to tell who is who, blood does not change even with magic disguise." Griphook said, "I will have a new key made and will take you to your vault."

The rest of the day went by in a wonderful blur for Harry, he found one adult he could trust by the end of it. Slughorn did care about him and not the fact he was the boy-who-lived, the only one who had ever survived the killing curse. He cared about Harry and educated him on the magical world, which came first in his vault as he learned all about the money and found his grandfather's trunk ready for him to use, it had six compartments, one for his school things, one where he found his mother's books from school, all the way through fifth year, one that held a full potions cupboard, a compartment that could hold food, a weapons compartment and one that held what looked like a twenty foot by twenty foot cell with a toilet block in one corner. It could be shrunk to the size of a large book and carried in his pack. It was his grandfather's Auror trunk and was left here for him to use, Harry was relieved by the books as it meant he could save his money as he was not sure how long what money he had would last.

Slughorn helped him in getting his school uniforms, he helped Harry get his school robes and the uniforms that went under them and had him put on his cloak and put the hood up so he could keep his privacy. Then he led the boy to Glad-rags, a wonderful thrift store that sold new and used clothing at very reasonable prices. Here Harry got things he would need at Hogwarts, both winter and summer under things and a pair of used leather boots that Slughorn charmed himself to grow for the boy up to three sizes. It was when they went for his wand Harry realized that Slughorn did care about him and did not see him as the freak he was even in this world. It started when Ollivander had appeared by his side and started to fit him with wands. After half an hour he had his wand and he wanted to sink into the floor as Ollivander proclaimed it was the brother wand to Voldemort's.

"Well it is not the wand that shapes the wizard." Slughorn said, "it is what the wizard does with it. I see Harry here doing great things, yes great things indeed."

"Yes he will, he already has." Ollivander said, "he has had much sorrow."

"Yes, but there is much light in him, in fact if all our young witches and wizards were like him." Slughorn said, "well I have to get going, Harry needs lunch I am sure."

"You wish me to keep your being here secret." Ollivander said.

"Thank you, now Harry where would you like to go?"

Again Harry was shocked someone would ask him what he would like. He stammered out a restaurant, a very muggle one and Slughorn beamed at him and took him out of the alley changing his clothing to muggle ones before they headed to McDonalds. Harry had his first Happy Meal ™ and nearly smiled as he found this day was turning out very well. Slughorn took him back to the alley and helped Harry finish his shopping, he got Harry a new backpack, charmed so it could carry far more than normal and then got him what he called an "abuse case" this was a case of healing potions, food packs that would keep fresh for a long time and a stone that would put up a kind of notice-me-not charm around the child protecting him from harm from the abusers. He had made so many of these over his career, ironically not many of his Slytherins had been abused, it seemed many Gryffindors and Ravenclaws and quite a few Hufflepuffs were the main ones to be abused.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: September 1 1991:

Harry knew that his life was better now despite the fact that he was going to Hogwarts with Dudley. He had read up on the different houses, studied his course books and had even studied on the train. He had shared a compartment with another student, a Ron Weasley who, like all his family had flaming red hair, lots of freckles and hand-me-down-robes, he spent most of the train ride talking about Quidditch. Dudley had gone somewhere away from Harry which pleasantly surprised Harry. He had met other students, a timid shy boy with round face, light brown hair called Neville Longbottom, a bossy girl with lots of bushy brown hair, large front teeth called Hermione Granger. The last person he met gave him a bit of peace and a lot of information on Wizarding families. This was in the form of a white blond haired boy who came to the compartment to speak with Harry.

"You must be Harry Potter, I heard you were on the train." Draco said to Harry.

"Yes I am Harry." Harry said clearly annoyed by the boy but not daring to show it, not wise to make enemies when he was sure he would have quite a few by the end of the week if not day due to his cousin. "You are?"

"Draco Malfoy." Draco said, "you will find some Wizarding families are better than others, I can help you there."

"Well Draco, I am new to this world, I was raised by muggles, I will consider your offer if that is alright." Harry said politely.

"Very well," Draco said then at Ron snickering he turned to him, "think my name is funny do you?"

That was it, both boys were off and Harry turned back to his book and acted as if he was studying, in fact he was taking notes on the boys who were insulting each other. He found out that Ron had several older brothers, one was a curse breaker in Egypt, another a dragon wrangler in Romania and three more still in Hogwarts. Draco was from an old rich pureblood family and his father was on the board of governors of the school and had been a death eater, or so Ron said. After a time Harry had tuned them out and went back to studying his potions book, something he was having a hard time with as he was not sure why certain ingredients reacted the way they did with others. That is until he dug through his trunk (getting the boys to look at him for a moment before they went back to arguing) and saw a thin book that explained potions. Grinning he grabbed it and spent the rest of the time reading it and learning all about this most daunting of classes.

Things got even better for him once the train stopped, he got into a boat with Ron and Draco (still arguing now about Quidditch) and Neville Longbottom and enjoyed the ride over to the large beautiful castle. He still did not think professor McGonagall liked him (he did not know she was worried about him and how he was treated by his relations and really did care for him) but he loved the school from the first time he saw it. He was more amused by the ghost, though he dared not show it and he was a bit nervous about the sorting. He should not have been, his cousin ended up in Slytherin and he ended up in Gryffindor. He nearly grinned, but knew better than to do so (showing emotions had got him in such trouble in the past) and enjoyed all the wonderful food offered here. Finally after the headmaster's speech (stay out of the third floor corridor unless you wished to die?) he was off to bed. Several staircases later he came to the Gryffindor common room and went up to his dorm room with Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom and two other boys. He changed to his night clothes, slid into bed and was fast asleep at once.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Yea I have Petunia as the main abuser here, when a woman is an abuser the husband is usually too scared or really does not want to upset his wife so does not stop it always. I see Vernon not as the abuser but one who does not really have full control of his family at home. Petunia has more of a reason to keep Harry down and beaten as she is a jealous little shrew. Oh and yes Dudley does fit in Slytherin, think about it for a bit, he may be muggleborn but I am sure even that house has them._

_I thought of having Slughorn able to redeem himself, and that was why I did things the way I did. _

_Anyway review and let me know what you think!_


	2. Chapter 2: The First Year

Chapter Two: The First Year:

Hogwarts: September 1991:

By the end of his first week Harry was satisfied he was settling in here as well as expected. He had made a friend in Neville, he knew Neville was bullied and treated badly and he knew how that felt. Neville thought he was no better than a squib and Harry had yet to fully convince him he was not. He was very grateful that he had studied his potions books as well as he had, he knew getting the potions master Severus Snape upset was something he would rather avoid. Hermione squirmed by him keeping her hand down and he smiled inwardly, he had helped her out too, she was really bright and loved to show off that knowledge. However he knew she would be bullied horribly if she continued to "show up" the other students, she liked him and was a friend of his. A few days before the potions class as they were studying Harry brought this up and she took is advice very well. Now she watched as Severus Snape swooped down on Harry and glared down at the boy.

"Ah, yes," he murmured softly, "Harry Potter. Our new—_celebrity._"

Harry wanted to speak back but bit that back very quickly he was not sure if corporal punishment were used and he had no desire to find out from this man.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe that this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

While Snape paced through the class during his speech Harry was getting a good measure of the man. He had done this with all his professors, and could, if asked draw them quite well. There was tall severe professor McGonagall who wore either green or black robes, her black hair tied back from her face, and she rarely smiled around him. Flitwick was a small man with lots of wispy white hair and liked robes in blue, green or purple. He liked professor Sprout the best, she was a short, pump merry woman who wore robes of brown and always seemed to have dirt under her nails. His least favorite was Quirrell, the man gave him a headache whenever he was around him and his purple turban smelled funny, not unwashed funny but something else. Snape liked black, from his well made black robes to his black hair and eyes he was scary looking even to Harry. His pale face make him look vampire like and Harry wondered if he was, well he was not one to want to find out about that!

"Potter!" the potions master snapped suddenly, "What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"A sleeping potion that gives the appearance of death, sir," Harry answered refusing to show any emotion or fear before this man. He was aware of the stares he got and hoped he was not going to get singled out after this and beat up, so far that had not happened, but then he was never alone with his cousin either.

"Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape snapped.

"The stomach of a goat sir." Harry said.

"I see you did some reading, let's see if anyone else did." Severus said turning to face Dudley who was placed as far from Harry as possible. "Ah Mr. Dursley what is the difference between monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

"Well sir." Harry wanted to smirk, no way would his cousin know this, he hated studying and did not know the answer, or so he thought. "They are the same plant sir."

"Correct, let's see if any of you can make a basic boil cure potion, you have an hour and a half, began!"

Harry refused to show the shock that his cousin could answer a question like the one given him, they did not cover those plants until much later in the year. Dudley always did the bare minimum to get a passing grade, in fact Harry was not sure how he ever passed his classes, he never studied and rarely did his homework, yet he was always able to pass his tests with no problem. Harry mentally made a note not to underestimate his cousin, not that he ever had of course, he would watch him carefully. Yet at the moment he was had to concentrate on the potion, he had paired himself with Neville and though he had to keep Neville from adding ingredients at the wrong time the potion went quite well and they handed in a potion that was nearly perfect.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Staffroom September 1991:

Severus Snape sat in his favorite corner by the headmaster across from McGonagall and thought about the past week. It was an interesting week to say the least, first he ended up with two half-bloods and one muggleborn in his house, the muggleborn was the cousin of one Harry Potter and actually fit very well in his house. He had expected Dursley to not fit in, to have trouble with the others in his house but somehow he had managed to fit in, even Draco tolerated him well enough. He was not sanctioned by the house, but then again it was not really that rare to get a muggleborn in Slytherin. It was a myth that Slytherin only took purebloods, this was not true, they took those who were cunning and ambitious and Dursley was all those and more. Then there was Potter, he was quite, well behaved and had not only answered his questions well in his classes he had helped Longbottom make a good potion.

Dumbledore came into the staffroom last, and walked to the chair at the head of the table closest to the fire and took a seat. He sighed happily and Severus just scowled at him, he might have warmed the chair for the old headmaster, after all he did not need the aged man getting pneumonia at his age, he did not do it to be nice but to keep the school running smoothly. He did not like the headmaster, no not at all, he was so, so Gryffindor! If ever there was a poster wizard for the house it was Dumbledore, always so happy, noble and every bit as sneaky as any Slytherin. Severus sat back his long black hair partially hiding his face as he sipped his blood red wine. The meeting got underway and of course it turned to the brat, er boy who lived.

"So how is young Harry settling in?" Dumbledore asked.

"He is a delight to have in class, he is a great help to his fellow students." Flitwick said.

"He is very good with plants, seems to know just what to do before I have to tell him anything." Sprout added.

"I was not sure he was going to do well, after all his bully of a cousin is here." McGonagall said. "I was surprised you got young Dursley Severus, I fear you will need to watch him carefully, around anyone or anything weaker than him."

"Why is that?" Dumbledore asked, worry on his face.

"I think he is a psychopath." McGonagall said quietly.

"I will keep a close eye on him then." Severus said, "Potter is not as I expected, he knew the answers to the questions I asked and did very well in my class. He is very quiet but respectful, more like is mother than father, though he has the misfortune of looking like him."

The meeting went on and the staff talked about the other students and of course talked about what was being hidden in the school. Severus did not really think this was good to speak about around all the staff but he was overruled, and so he had to listen to the headmaster talk about the protections around the stone. He was not amused and glowered over his wine as the headmaster went on and on. This was going to be a year of headaches to him he just knew it.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts October 31 1991:

Harry woke early on Halloween and groaned as he remembered what day it was. If it were up to him he would sleep all day and not get up at all. But he had classes and had to go to them and so he drug himself up, showered, dressed and went to breakfast. He took his daily potions (these were from Slughorn and were to help him gain strength and help fix his sight as much as possible too) disguised as pumpkin juice and then he went to class with Neville walking by him. They were best friends, Harry had helped Neville out in the past two months, Neville was another person he could trust with his secrets as Neville trusted him. Harry had finally convinced Neville he was not a squib and Neville could now cast quite a few spells now. Classes ended for the day and Harry decided that he would explore the castle as he did not want to be at the feast.

He came to the lower levels of the castle, unaware of the danger that was just around the corner. He smelled the troll before he saw it, like an unwashed toilet it was vile, he heard the scream of terror and charged into the room ahead before he realized what he had done. He had run into a boy's toilet and saw his cousin of all people pressed to the wall staring up at a large very ugly troll who had its eyes on the frightened boy before him. Never had Harry been more grateful in the fact that he had learned many charms besides those most first years learned. He knew it was a matter of time before his cousin came after him or the children of death eaters (he had already had to deal with using healing charms on himself after he was hexed by a Ravenclaw, he would not go to the hospital wing for that, he was no snitch as snitches ended up hurt worse) and he knew quite a few spells. Yet he knew magic did not work well on trolls, at least on the outside.

"Move Dudley!" Harry shouted, "get out of here."

"T-troll!" Dudley stammered.

"Dammit Dudley you coward!" Harry said getting an idea he jumped up on the troll and aimed his wand at the troll's mouth "_Incendio_!"

The troll screamed in pain and threw Harry off him, Harry hit the wall and slumped to the floor but not for long. He saw the broken pipes and sinks and an idea came to him. He knew the spell he was going to use was very advanced and he was not sure he could do it. He raised his wand not seeing Dudley do the same, he cast the freezing charm and was surprised to see the spell freeze the whole room and the troll go down hitting its head hard, that is until he saw Dudley standing there wand out. How had his cousin, a fat bully who was as dumb as rocks known a spell like that? Harry wondered, in the next moment Dudley lived up to Harry's expectations and fainted dead away next to the fallen troll. It was at this moment McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore and Quirrell came running into the room and saw the damage, just as Dudley woke up and looked around.

"What, how?" McGonagall said then at seeing Harry, "what are you doing here, why are you not with the other Gryffindors?"

"He saved my life." Dudley said, "used a spell, freezing charm I think."

"You think?" Harry said before he could stop himself, oh that was not good, the professors were now glaring at him.

"Both of you to the hospital wing." McGonagall said, "what I want to know is why you Mr. Potter were not at the feast."

"Why?" Harry said walking to the door to leave, "I thought that would be obvious, while you have something to celebrate I have no reason to celebrate on the day my parents were murdered."

They deserved it, after all this day was never good for him. He was glad he was not allowed to go out and trick or treat, his aunt loved to tell him how his parents had died on this day and so he stayed in his cupboard far from the activities of the day. He walked off and headed back to the Gryffindor common room, he did not want to see the school nurse, he still had a few hexes from the last time he was hexed by Avery. He was able to scan himself once he was in the shower and he took the potions he had made for himself for such times. He did not want to be a potions master but he had to become a good brewer as he had to heal himself most weeks even now. Still he was hurt far less here than he was back at his elementary school and that counted for something at least.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Gryffindor Tower December 25 1991:

Harry woke up, yawned and stretched and saw the pile of presents at the foot of his bed, he grinned, there were people who cared after all! He had been relieved when the Dursleys stated he would stay at the school all year and only come home during the summer. He liked the castle during the time most of the students went home, he found he could explore the castle to his heart's content. It was warm compared to outside, sure he still had to bundle up warm but the temperature was kept at a livable 55 to 60 degrees F. Harry knew that this was possible because of how the castle was designed, it seemed that the castle was designed along Roman lines and this included air ducts built into the stone that carried heat to all parts of the castle from massive magical furnaces deep under the school. Harry would not have enjoyed the school if this was not in place and he was grateful for the brains of those who had made this school.

He saw many gifts wrapped in green and red and knew they were from Slughorn before he even opened one of them. He had written letters to Slughorn, at first he had not said much, just bits and pieces of growing up. Slowly he had opened up to the aged wizard and now felt as if the man was as close to real family and a grandfather he would ever get. He opened the first gift and saw it was a new wizard's chess set, it was made of marble and gems and Harry knew it cost a lot of money. The next gift were sweets, mostly chocolate as Harry loved these and last was a photo album with a long letter explaining that Snape was good friends of his mother's and that was them in Hogwarts. Harry smiled at these gifts and went about unwrapping his gifts from Neville, he got a book on Wizarding etiquette, something he had wanted to get for a long time, a book to carry his new collection of chocolate card frogs. He saw Ron going through his gifts and Harry picked up a package and opened it to see a green sweater with a green dragon on it. He read the letter and realized that Slughorn must have talked to Mrs. Weasley, somehow he had been adopted into the Weasley family and something pleasant and warm filled him to the core.

"She made mine in Maroon, I hate Maroon." Ron said turning to Harry, "whoa she made you one, makes you family then!"

"Yea, this, this is the best." Harry said grinning as he could not help it, "I have to thank her."

"Yea, wonder if I could get Percy to change the color?" Ron said hopefully.

"Ron?" Harry said as he went for the last package on his bed.

"What?"

"You are a Wizard right?" Harry asked.

"Yea I am, why?" Ron asked.

"Then change the color yourself, maybe she made it that color to get you to practice magic?" Harry said.

"Never thought of it that way." Ron said, "you know the spell?"

"I do indeed, and if I teach it to you please do not use it on Fred and George near me, I like my hair this color."

Ron grinned and Harry taught him the spell, after a few moments Ron had changed his sweater to a nice deep blue. He grinned and both boys dressed and went down to breakfast, Harry had forgot the last package until much later. When he opened he found a very old invisibility cloak that was all his. He grinned, this would make his nighttime wanderings much easier and he could explore the castle any time of day or night. It turned out to have belonged to his father and he finally had something to connect to his father.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Infirmary June 1992:

Harry woke up slowly and realized two things, one he was still alive and two he ached all over. He opened his eyes and saw someone seated next to him, he was rather surprised to see the aged headmaster here and he wondered just how much trouble he was in. He had to go and stop Quirrell, the man was after the stone and someone had to stop him. Harry had not gone alone, he had wanted to but it seemed Neville would not allow that, he had ended up going with him and both ended up getting through the traps, all but the last one, that was up to Harry and Harry had faced Voldemort the second time in his life. Thinking on what he saw nearly made him get sick and he shuttered as he remembered just how evil the man had felt and had been.

He thought to what had brought him here, the clues to what was hidden in the school how he had stumbled on the hell hound on one of his nighttime wanderings. How he had learned its name (who named a dangerous creature Fluffy? Oh right same person who would try to raise a dragon in a wooden hut) from Hagrid and then from there with a bit of help from Draco (who had not been able to get out to help them in the end) he had gone to fight the evil dark lord. He knew Quirrell was dead, the headmaster had to be upset about that, but no he seemed more worried and concerned about him? There were very few who cared about him and he could count them all on one hand, no way did the headmaster care about him, he was just a symbol to him nothing more.

"How long was I out sir?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"Three days, you gave us quite the fright Harry." Dumbledore said.

"Quirrell is dead." Harry said as fact.

"Yes, most unfortunate, but he would not have lived, he could not as Voldemort had, well he was as good as dead when he allowed Voldemort to possess him." Dumbledore replied. "Now you rest, madam Pomfrey will come and scold me if you do not."

Harry would have laughed but he dared not, he wanted to ask why Quirrell's skin had burned as it had but he already knew the answer. His mother had done some sort of protection over him, he was safe with her sacrifice, there was no other reason for him to even be here or alive if not for her. He lay back in bed and closed his eyes, and was asleep at once. A day later he was released from the hospital wing and was able to make it to the end of year feast. His first year was over, he had a best friend in Neville and Hermione and there was Ron who was a nice sort, when he was not arguing with Draco disturbing his study time. He was not looking forward to being at the Dursleys this summer but it was only two months and he would be back at Hogwarts. With that in mind he got on the train and headed away from Hogwarts and closer to the muggle worth with each and every mile.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Yes I covered his first year in one chapter, I am going to do that for the next few years. As for Hogwarts having a central heating system, it makes since, some castles did have this, it was taken from the Romans who not only had this but well heated baths and even a way to store ice in the heart of Rome in summer! Neville is going to be Harry's best friend, Ron is closer to Dean and Seamus. Molly knows about Harry through Slughorn, that is why she sent a sweater, but she will, like Slughorn keep this a secret as Harry hates his fame!_

_Oh and Draco has no reason to hate him here so there will be no animosity between the boys. Severus Snape sees him more as Lily's child here and will from now on out. This will get him to treat Harry a bit differently though he will not be soft as that is not his style._

_Oh, and do please review!_


	3. Chapter 3: The Second Year

Chapter Three: Second Year:

Private Drive July 1992:

Harry was in a foul mood, it was not easy to see that as he was very good at hiding his emotions. He had come home, was encored and as he had food and such of his own his relations did not even care he was here. It seemed the magical world did not care at all either. He had not got one letter or anything the whole time he was here and he thought he was friends with Neville at least! That was why today, on his birthday he had packed his trunk, put it in his bag and slipped out of the house determined to run away. Right now it was dark and he was seated in the park on a swing looking out over the park not really seeing it. That was why he jumped when a small creature appeared before him with a pop. It was clad in a filthy pillowcase for clothing, had no hair and large green eyes and bat-like ears. Harry knew this was a house elf as he had read about them in one of his mother's books called _A Guide to Beings Light and Dark_. He wondered what a house elf was doing here in the muggle world and who sent it.

"Who are you?" Harry asked the elf coolly.

"I is Dobby sir, I is coming to warn Harry Potter sir not to return to Hogwarts." Dobby said, "terrible things will happen and Harry Potter sir must not return."

"I must, I cannot stay in the muggle world." Harry said, "I have a destiny, I must return."

"He is right elf." Slughorn said walking up, "if you were sent to stop him I am afraid you must go back to your master now as he must go back."

"But he could die sir!" Dobby said his eyes filling with tears, "Dobby does not want Harry Potter sir to die!"

"I know elf, I am Horace Slughorn, I will take care of him, now if you have had anything to do with taking his mail you will turn it over or I will contact the magical creature office."

"Dobby only wishes to help!" Dobby said.

"Elf obey me!" Slughorn said sternly.

Dobby snapped his fingers and a stack of letters appeared, and with a pop he was gone. Harry reached down and picked up the letters and saw he had not been forgotten after all. He wanted to wring that elf's neck but decided instead to look through his letters. He was not aware of Slughorn still standing there until the man cleared his throat getting a normally aware Harry to jump and blush a bit. He wanted to run up and hug Slughorn as he was really glad to see him but he dared not. He did not do such things and besides the man might take that the wrong way, he knew his aunt had the very few times he tried it. His head had wrung after the last time and she had hit him upside the head with a frying pan. No he would not hug Slughorn as he was far too smart for that.

"I am glad to see you are alright, thought those relations of yours might be keeping you from writing." Slughorn said, "Neville and Ron both were worried and I dare say if Molly had not contacted me two young men would have tried to fly their father's car to get you."

"I am glad to see you sir." Harry said and he was.

"Good, now how would you like to spend the last of your vacation away from here?" Slughorn said, "the Weasley family would be glad to have you, Neville is staying there as well and I know Molly would love to make sure you are doing well."

"I would like that, but my aunt and uncle." Harry said.

"Taken care of, come on then, you only have to be here a month out of the year anyway, if I had my way, well this will have to do for now." Slughorn said, "you will need to take my arm, we are going to Apparate, I must warn you the first time is rather daunting."

Though Harry was warned he still fell to the grown and nearly threw up on landing, he took the potion offered him and downed it at once and was helped up by Slughorn. He allowed this as he did trust the man as far as he could, he knew that he would not harm him, unlike so many others. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and looked at the house before him, it rose five stories above him and was so crooked that it looked as if it were held up by magic, which he realized it had to be. He could feel the wards as he went through them, they seemed to be analyzing him and they accepted him. He walked up to the house and followed Slughorn to the back door where he knocked softly. The door opened and a short pump woman with flaming red hair tied back in a bun from her face stood there, she was wearing light blue robes with a flowered apron over it and she smiled at seeing Harry.

"I was so worried when you did not write, are you alright dear?" Molly said to Harry.

"It was a house elf who kept my letters from me ma'am." Harry said, "I just got them from professor Slughorn."

"I told you I would get him and I did." Slughorn said, "he was getting ready to run off, can't blame him of course but could not have that, would worry this old man here for one."

"That would sir?" Harry said knowing it would but needing to hear it.

"Of course, Harry, now do try to stay out of trouble?" Slughorn said.

"Yes sir." Harry said turning to Molly, "thank you so much for the sweater."

"Of course dear, come in, you must be hungry."

Harry followed her into the house and saw at the scrubbed wooden table. Molly whipped up some soup and put it and fresh bread before Harry. Harry ate well and found he liked it here, he was getting good at reading people, he knew that Molly did care about him and had took him into her family. The rest of the summer passed in a pleasant blur, he found he liked Quidditch and that he was very, very good at flying, so much so that Fred and George brought Oliver Wood over to watch him and test him. It was clear he was the seeker they needed on their team and he convinced a very reluctant Harry to try out in the next year. The last week of the summer holidays they went to Diagon Alley and Harry wore a hat so no-one would bother him as he hated people fawning over him for being the boy-who-did-not-did-so-he-needed-to-be-hyphenated. He did not need to get any course books, accept for the five defense books that clearly were not on defense. It seemed this year, just like the last he was on his own to learn defense properly.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts October 1992:

Harry was going to kill Lockhart, he really was. He had just finished his first game as a seeker for Gryffindor, he faced off with Draco as the seeker for Slytherin and found Draco was an excellent flyer. Just because his father bought brooms for his team did not mean he got on the team for that alone, no he was very good at flying, yet so was Harry and both boys were actually enjoying the game and their more friendly rivalry, mostly involving very intelligent conversations on why Gryffindor was better than Slytherin and vice versa. The game had been going well until a bludger went rogue and went after Harry. Harry was not impressed and so he had to dodge the bludger and look for the snitch all at the same time. He caught the snitch but not before the bludger broke his arm, and would have crushed his skull if not for professor Snape, still in the stands blowing it up with a slash of his wand. Lockhart had botched repairing his arm and ended up removing all the bones leaving Harry extremely angry at him for this, now what was he to do? He found out in the hospital wing soon enough.

"That, that was vile!" Harry gasped after taking the Skeligrow.

"Well I could have mended it quickly if not for certain bumbling professors." Poppy said.

"I could make sure he had an accident." Harry muttered darkly, "I am sure most of the school would thank me for that."

"All but the girls mate." Neville said taking a seat by him, "does it hurt?"

"Not really, just prickles a bit." Harry replied, "stupid git, I should get him fired, does not know what he is doing!"

Later that night Harry found out who had been trying to hurt him, it was none other than a certain house elf named Dobby. He had explained he wanted to keep Harry safe and that he had sent the bludger at Harry and had, at the beginning of the year blocked the portal to the train. That had caused Harry and Neville who had been stuck on the other side to be taken by floo through to the castle where they waited in the Gryffindor common room to the feast. Harry was not amused and was about to murder the little elf but knew it was not the little guys fault. Someone was trying to protect him as house elves could not go against their master's wishes. Harry was determined to find out who wanted him out of Hogwarts and why.

By Halloween Harry could be found in one of the potions classrooms scrubbing cauldrons. To be fair all he had to do was go to the feast as Snape wanted or serve detention. He had been caught wandering the halls by Snape just as the feast started and refused to go, he was normally a very well behaved young man but he just could not bear to be around anyone today. So he chose the detention and by the look in Snape's eyes it was clear he had expected this, he had brought Harry to the classroom, had dinner there for him ordering him to eat then had him set to the task of washing cauldrons. Harry was grateful for this as he was more in the mood for brooding and he could do so scrubbing cauldrons. He had just finished the last one when he heard the door to the classroom open and an annoyed Severus come into the room with a very upset McGonagall.

"See perfectly safe and sound." Severus said, "you act as if I tortured the boy!"

"But detention, today of all days!" McGonagall said, "and with what just happened, what if they had come down here? He was alone!"

"I have my ways of keeping my students safe when I am not here." Severus said, "I gave him a choice, the feast or detention."

"I would rather be here professors, owing to what today is." Harry said quietly getting McGonagall to look upset and sad at once, "I do not mind."

"You are to go to your common room now." Severus said to Harry.

Harry put the rags and cleaning equipment away and left the professors behind. Severus watched the boy leave knowing he had done the right thing for him. Harry was so much like his mother, he would not disobey but for a good reason and he had a good reason this day. Still he had to face this day around others , he could not hide from it all his life. He knew it would take time, but Harry would be able to face this day the day of the death of his parents in the future. He turned to McGonagall and walked back out to face the rest of the staff and the dire message posted on the wall with poor Mrs. Norris petrified next to the sign. It seemed this year was going to end up as dangerous as the last one had been.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts March 1993:

Severus was about to murder one Gilroy Lockhart, he really was. Perhaps he could create an accident with poison and dump the body in acid or just have him meet the centaurs, no scratch that, he had good relations with them and did not want to ruin that. Between the creature that was petrifying students (mostly muggleborn) the ministry demanding answers and Lockhart he was feeling the strain. At least the rest of the school did not know about Potter's little gift, that would have caused even more chaos. Severus knew and only because he had walked in on the boy speaking to a snake in a hall and had very nearly fainted in shock. Oh he could speak it, it really helped him in making potions and he was delighted to find it was more of a light language devoted to healing arts, Voldemort had twisted it to his own evil means like he did with so much.

"How long have you been able to talk to snakes?" Severus asked Harry who had turned to him looking a bit surprised, "ah trying to keep that secret are we?"

"Please sir, it's not evil, I am not evil and I am not well the heir either." Harry said, "I would never harm my fellow students even if some of them are stupid and bullies."

"Your cousin then." Severus said, "he has not harmed you?"

"No sir, as if he could now." Harry muttered the last part, "I suppose you think I am dark now."

"No, not with what you said to the snake, she needs a place to hatch her eggs." Severus said so glad that Harry could show surprise more than once in a conversation, normally he was such a closed boy and very private and did not trust any at all. "Unlike you I had to learn the language, do be careful where you speak it, I will take care of the snake."

"Yes sir, it's Draco's, she is hiding from my cousin, he was tormenting her." Harry said.

"I will deal with that, she will be safe you have my word." Severus said.

Harry had left and went back to the Gryffindor common room, he had set about writing a letter to Slughorn, he wrote him once a week and Slughorn knew of his gift. He had been surprised but then delighted when Harry told him he used the language to help not harm and had found a few portraits he could speak to in that tongue. He told Slughorn much of what he had learned and coded the letter before calling for Hedwig to take the letter for him to Slughorn. He saw Ginny walk by looking pale and wanted to speak to her but Ginny just brushed him off, she had been doing that more and more lately and Harry was worried about her, she did not seem to be settling into Hogwarts very well and he felt for her, he wondered if Hogwarts was really the best for her after all.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts May 1993:

Tempers were rising as more students were petrified and Dumbledore ended up getting the boot from the school due to the governors of the school banning together to get him out. Harry thought Draco would have been delighted as he did not like Dumbledore but he looked worried, even more so from letters he got from home. Harry knew he needed to talk to him and so on a warm Saturday he followed the blond pureblood out of the school onto the ground and caught up to him as he was seated by a large beech tree. Harry and Draco were not enemies, they were not really friends either, more like cautious allies as it were. They both came from old and very influential families and as such they had to act the part. Harry sat down by him and Draco made to get up but by the look from Harry he dared not. He could not meet Harry's eyes and just sat there looking, actually scared.

"You know something." Harry said quietly. "If you can stop this…"

"No-one can stop this Potter!" Draco snarled, "you don't understand…"

"It's Voldemort, find the dark lord." Harry said as Draco flinched, "your father has something to do with this doesn't he?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Draco hissed, "he can't I mean he would not…"

"Yea, he is your father, I get it." Harry said, slowly an idea forming in his mind, surely Draco did not have an elf he sent to warn him? "So you live in a large manor right? House elves and all?"

"Yea, large manor, ten, no twelve house elves to take care of it." Draco said.

"You were raised by them."

"No mother took care of me though Dobby has always been there to make sure I was alright." Draco said, Harry kept his features schooled as Draco let that bit of information slip, "they are useful creatures, mother says we should treat them well even if they are inferior to wizards."

"Oh look here comes trouble." Harry muttered standing up.

His cousin came up looking smug and Harry faced him glaring at him. Dudley had changed, he was no longer the horribly fat boy he had been before Hogwarts, a mandatory diet, walking up lots of stairs a day and using magic had thinned him down quite a bit. He was now a stocky strong boy though Harry still saw him as a "pig in a wig", Harry no longer let Dudley get away with pushing him around. In fact he had won a few fights against him, mostly just shoving Dudley down and walking away from him. Yet now he was not in the mood for Dudley, sure he mostly left Harry alone but he had a small group of friends that Harry liked to steer clear of.

"So if it isn't Potty, what are you doing out here, planning on your next move as a dark lord?" Dudley taunted.

"Only dark lord I see here is you Dudley." Harry said quietly.

"I could tell the whole school your little secret." Dudley said softly reminding Harry of the time at the zoo.

"Oh you mean the time you blamed me for vanishing the glass at the zoo?" Harry said coldly getting to his feet, "or how about the time you busted the glass and blamed me? You are well on your way to becoming a dark lord Dudley, lie all you want but you are pure evil."

"Because he is Slytherin and you are Gryffindor?" Draco said looking upset, he thought he had got the measure of Harry.

"No because of who he is, I know him well unfortunately." Harry said, "I wish I did not, nothing wrong with Slytherin, after all you are in it and you are not so bad I suppose, though I am a better Quidditch player."

"As if Potter I am clearly better than you!" Draco countered.

"Already toadying up to the dark lord Potter, pathetic." Dudley muttered, it of course was the wrong thing to say.

"Shut it looser." Harry shot back.

With a roar Dudley shoved Draco out of the way and attacked Harry, he swung a fist at him but Harry ducked and landed one blow on his cousin's nose then punching him in the stomach. Dudley went down and when he got back up, his face now bloodied he was facing Harry's wand. He wondered what Harry would do to him, he knew Harry was far better at him at dueling and such and for once in his life he feared him. Yet all Harry did was lower his wand and walk off back to the school leaving him behind, Draco just shot him a cold look and walked off as well. Dudley could get help on his own, he would not help him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

June Hogwarts 1993:

Harry was supposed to be in his common room with the rest of his classmates, there was a monster on the loose and he should have been where he could be safe. Yet he was not going to leave Ginny Weasley in the chamber, he knew where it was now, or he hoped it was. The voices, rather snake he had heard had to be coming and going here, he was not heading out alone, no Ron insisted on going with him, it was his sister and he would not stay here. Harry had found another way out of the common room, a way that even Fred and George did not know about. Ron had followed him and now they were headed down to the second floor girls' toilet, under Harry's cloak. They entered and removed the cloak and turned at the sound of someone coming out of a stall, Ron was about to attack the smug Draco but Harry held him back.

"Why are you here Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Your cousin tells interesting tales." Draco said, "says you are the new dark lord, that you speak the tongue of snakes."

"That is not true!" Ron said then at the look on Harry's face, "mate that is not true is it?"

"Yes, it is and look it is not a bad trait, I mean I am not the heir, if I am right then we will find your sister somewhere around here." Harry said.

"Oh she came through here." Moaning Myrtle said from where she had floated through a stall, "she was in a right state she was."

"Myrtle why are you still here?" Draco asked.

"Because I died here that is why!"

"How did you die?" Harry asked as he finished piecing things together.

"I was crying here, heard a boys voice, opened the door and died!" Myrtle said, "it was glorious!"

"Right, I was right." Harry said looking around to find anything with a snake on it and finding the middle sink did, he hissed opened then turned to the two boys, "look you two do not have to come, but I must go down there and stop a monster, a Basilisk."

"I ah, well I am here now I will go with you." Draco said, "bloody hell my mother will skin me alive…"

"I am going, my sister is down there!" Ron said.

Harry went first, then Ron followed and finally Draco, they had landed on a pile of bones and dirt and Draco was not amused at how dirty he was getting. They looked around and saw they were in a well made tunnel all of stone with the floor covered in dirt, small bones and the like. They headed on and came on a large snake skin and even Draco looked afraid as they made their way past this and to large doors that would lead them to the chamber. Draco would not have even been with Harry if not for the fact Harry held his tongue on the train that first time. That and Draco did not like Dudley, the only reason he did nothing to him is he was Harry's cousin and he was told by a certain parent to leave him alone. That there was a reason for a muggleborn in Slytherin and she was researching the matter.

Harry hissed the words to open the door and all three stepped into the large chamber beyond. Harry did not look much beyond what was at the end of the room, Ron had seen his sister and ran to her taking her into his arms and holding her tears streaming down his face. Harry was staring at the young man watching him keenly and he was about to learn a very valuable life lesson, to never give up your wand to anyone. He was just a boy and though a cautious one he still had moments where he could and did make mistakes. He looked from Ginny to the older boy, a boy with neat short black hair and blue eyes clad in robes of Slytherin. Draco did not trust this older boy, there was something off about him but before he could speak the boy spoke to Harry as if he was the only one in the room.

"She will not wake." Tom said.

"Why not?" Harry asked, "can you help her?"

"Perhaps but I have no wand." Tom said.

"Here, use mine." Harry said handing him his, "please help her."

"Potter you bloody fool!" Draco snarled, then as Tom started to laugh, "think it's funny do you? I'll show you, _Reducto_."

"Looks as if you missed me Draco Malfoy." Tom said as the spell went through him, "the son of the great Lucius Malfoy, consorting with the likes of these Gryffindors."

"They are friends." Draco said, "you will leave them alone!"

"I do not think so, you see Harry here is my past, present and future." Tom said, "let me introduce myself, shall I? I am Tom Marvolo Riddle, or" here he used Harry's wand to reform the letters "I am Lord Voldemort."

"Oh bloody hell." Draco said.

"Now to teach you a lesson boy." Tom said," let's see how you like this traitor!"

Before Draco could duck and get away Tom used the _Cruciatus_ curse on the poor boy. Draco had never felt such pain and he fell to the floor screaming in agony. The spell was not left on him very long but it had done its job, Tom had rounded on Ron and knocked him out and it was only Harry and Tom. The next half hour or so determined the fate of this shade of Voldemort and Harry. Harry defeated the giant basilisk with a little help from Fawkes and the sorting hat who delivered the sword of Gryffindor to him. He stabbed the diary and barely survived, in fact he would not have if not for Fawkes crying into the cut on his arm. The battle done it was time to head back to the main parts of the school.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Headmaster's Office Same day:

Lucius Malfoy was having a very, very, very bad day, he was trying to think how things could have gone so badly, how his son was now possibly dying because of his errors. He was wishing he had never slipped the diary to Ginny Weasley as he could now loose his son. He was standing in the shadows of Dumbledore's office, not even protesting the aged headmaster was back that was how worried he was. Joining him were Arthur and Molly Weasley who looked pale and distraught. Then there was Severus glaring at him with a look of murder in his eyes, he dearly hoped Severus did kill him and did not turn him over to his wife, she would make sure he suffered for a very long time, though he was suffering now. By his feet Dobby crouched a cleaning rag in hand trying to finish up polishing Lucius's boots.

It was while he was doing his best not to think on the painful death Narcissa had in store for him that the door to the office opened and four rather dirty children entered the room. It took all his willpower to not run to Draco, instead he let the boy come to him and allowed him to fall in his arms trembling in pain. The Weasleys had enveloped all three of the other children into hugs and when done they wanted to know what happened. Both Ron and Harry stood by her side as she told the truth of what had happened. When she finished she expected her parents to be upset but instead of that she was hugged again and give a piece of chocolate by the headmaster.

"I should be expelled." Ginny said between tears.

"Greater men have been taken in by Voldemort." Dumbledore said, "now you should all go to the hospital wing, you as well Harry."

"Yes sir." Harry said watching Lucius leave the room, "sir can I give the diary back to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Of course, but I want you to head to the hospital wing after."

"Yes sir."

Harry left the room and took off one of his rather dirty socks putting it in the diary, he knew how a master could free his house elf and he was going to make him pay. The look on the man's face when he realized he had lost his servant, to a twelve year old boy. As he was about to hex the boy he was blasted backwards by a newly freed Dobby and down the stairs. Severus met him down the stairs and helped him up and drug him to the dungeons, oh yes his day had gone from very bad, to horrific and he was sure he would not live another day. Draco stepped from the shadows smirking, he should not find his own father getting blasted as he did funny but he did as it was partly his fault he had been tortured.

"Master Draco!" Dobby said then he stopped, "oh you not master anymore."

"No but if Harry will allow you, you will be part of his family."

"Ah yea, sure, Dobby you are now part of house Potter, and I allow you to see Draco when you wish." Harry said.

"Harry Potter sir is a wonderful master!" Dobby said bursting into tears.

"I should be mad at you for losing a Malfoy family elf but well that was very well done." Draco said, "besides when I tell my mother what happened, well I think she will be a widow."

"Oh, I am sorry." Harry said.

"Well she is a Black, anyway, thank you for saving my life." Draco said.

"Sure, that is what friends do." Harry said surprising even himself at this statement.

He realized his life was getting better, he had stopped an evil madman (again) killed an evil monster and saved three people's lives. His good mood lasted all through the rest of the year and even on the train back to his relations, it seemed not much could keep him down. In the mean time Severus taught Lucius Malfoy a lesson and sent him back to his wife who proved just how scary she could be. She did not kill or maim him but in the end she made him wish she had.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So there is second year, much the same so it fit in one chapter. Draco is not being mean to Harry and they are not enemies, all because of how Harry handled their first meeting on the train. Dudley wants to keep Harry friendless even in Hogwarts, that is why he is trying to spread rumors about him. So far it is not working though it did get Draco to end up in the chamber with Harry. A good thing as he knows now how evil Voldemort is in a rather painful way. Oh and I think Lucius might start re-thinking his stance on Voldemort a lot earlier too._

_Anyway, please do review!_


	4. Chapter 4: The Third Year

Chapter Four: Third Year:

Private Drive August 1993:

Harry lay on his bed really, really doing his best to control his temper, of course if he had done so in the first place he would not be in the situation he was now. He was pretty sure he had a cracked skull as his aunt had hit him rather hard with the frying pan. At least neither her nor Vernon came into his room, they always went away needing to do something or other and so his permission slip, now signed for Hogsmeade was in his trunk which was packed and in his pack. He was sure aunt Marge was still floating over Surrey but really she should not have said what she had about his parents. That was uncalled for as she had to know the truth of Dudley at least. Vernon had not hit him, or even threatened him when Marge started swell up and fly out of the house, but aunt Petunia had hit him hard upside the head with a frying pan and Harry had staggered upstairs where he was now really not wanting to move as his head hurt. He was surprised then when the door to his room opened and Slughorn entered looking rather grave.

"Ah so there you are Potter." He said, "best come with me now."

"My head hurts, I would rather stay here." Harry said wincing as he sat up, "didn't mean to blow up my aunt sir."

"Right, well you better come with me now lad."

"You are in for it now." Petunia said as Harry was led out. "I hope you give him a good beating, he needs it!"

"Oh I will give him just what he deserves, rest assured about that." Slughorn replied, "come Potter."

Once they were out of sight of the house Slughorn took a good look at Harry and frowned, it was clear his aunt had done more than hit him with a frying pan. From the looks of it she had used a broom handle to beat him as he had bruises on his arms and a black eye. Slughorn Apparated them to the alley next to the _Leaky Cauldron_ and after putting a glamour on Harry he led him into the inn. He explained that the minister wished to speak to Harry after all that had happened and indeed the man was waiting for him. He was a short pudgy man clad in pinstriped robes and cloak with a lime green bowler hat in hand. Harry looked over at Slughorn who gave a very slight nod and followed the minister to a small parlor and took a seat.

"I am glad you found him." Cornelius Fudge said, "what with what is going on."

"Yes well not any trouble at all Cornelius, none at all." Slughorn said.

"I didn't mean to blow up my aunt." Harry said knowing that was this was about, "guess I just got mad, sorry sir."

"Well as long as you are safe here, what with Sirius Black out and about." Cornelius said, "oh and your aunt is fine, managed to puncture her and she is most impressed by magic, thrilled with Dudley she is."

"Yea and hates me." Harry muttered.

"I am sure that is not true," Cornelius Fudge said getting up, "well you have a room here, do stay in the alley, for your own safety."

With that he was gone and Slughorn led him to a room where he set out potions and vials and had Harry remove his shirt. He was relieved to see that Harry was a healthy weight and was in good shape and had no scars of abuse though he was covered in bruises. Slughorn went to work tending to the bruises on Harry's back and letting him deal with the others on his face, arms and chest. He handed him several potions to take and Harry did so with no complaint. He was given bread and butter with a glass of milk for dinner as anything much stronger could make him sick, then he was given a mild sleeping drought and put to bed. The next morning he woke early and found Slughorn in the small parlor that was part of the suite of rooms he had. Breakfast was on the table and consisted of sweetened porridge, toast, bacon and eggs pumpkin juice and tea. While they ate Slughorn knew it was time to tell Harry the truth about Sirius Black, well what he knew himself.

"The minister spoke about Sirius Black, who is he?" Harry asked.

"Well he was one of your parents dear friends, it was thought it was a good man but I don't know. You know what the Fidelius charm is, not many do."

"Yea, I do, I do like to study." Harry said, he listened to the awful truth about Sirius Black then spoke with a deadly calm, "so that is what kind of man he was. It's his fault what happened to me, his fault my parents are dead."

"Harry I know you want to go after him and have every right." Slughorn said, "but you are not ready to, he is very powerful and I don't want you hurt, please promise to not go after him. I know you want revenge, but I don't want to lose you, you do mean so much to me."

"You mean that?" Harry asked.

"I do, you are family." Slughorn said.

"Very well sir, I promise." Harry replied.

Harry would keep his word, he knew exactly how it felt when someone did not (mainly his lovely aunt) and so he was not going to let Slughorn down. Besides he owed this man so much, he had never lied to him and was always honest with him, sometimes a bit too honest but then Harry was grateful for that. He needed someone to trust and Slughorn was the only adult he knew he could trust fully.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts September 1993:

There were two things Harry did not like this year, one he had never really liked and that was Dudley, the other were Dementors. Well hate was not a strong enough word for how he felt about Dementors, not at all, not after the train ride and what they had done to him making him remember the deaths of his parents. If it were not for the shabby yet noble and powerful professor in the form of one Remus Lupin he was sure he would have suffered far worse. Lupin had shot something at the creature from hell that was a wonderful bright light that made it go away and Harry was glad for that. Dudley was classless as ever and teased him about fainting on the train until Harry asked him how he would have liked to hear his parents murdered as that was what he heard. No-one teased him after that, in fact most of the school seemed to avoid him altogether for a week or so.

It was in his first Care of Magical Creatures class he really started to see no hope for his cousin ever. Even Draco (who had the major problem of a really inflated ego, yet managed to tone it down around Harry) could not really compare to Dudley. Dudley was really just nothing more than the worst kind of bully, and really, he did not have much of a brain in his thick head. This caused him to end up getting hurt by Buckbeak when he insulted him, it should have ended there, but Harry knew it would not. In fact even after being healed by madam Pomfrey Dudley was determined that both Buckbeak and Hagrid pay. This was where the friends he had made with Theodore Nott, Terrence Higgs and Adrian Pucey. How he had made friends with these four with two being high ranking purebloods and the others having parents who were dark Harry did not want to know. However he had and he used his friendships with them to strike out against Hagrid.

"I cannot believe this!" Neville said taking a seat by Harry at breakfast a few days later. "You hear what that pig, sorry Harry."

"No that describes my cousin, what did he do?" Harry asked.

"He managed to get charges pressed against Buckbeak that's what!" Neville said.

"How, I mean if I had been attacked, well I am a muggleborn and so is he…" Hermione said, "we don't have as much rights in this world until we are out of school."

"It's because of me." Harry said darkly, "bloody wanker thinks he can get by on convincing others he has the power to take me down or some sort of rot."

"That is a very paranoid thing to say." Fred Weasley said sitting across from Harry.

"Agreed, but he knows the little piggy doesn't he?" George added sitting by his twin, "wish us to do anything to him for you?"

"No, I still have to live with him in the summer, and I really would like a peaceful summer." Harry said.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Dudley said walking over.

"Go away Dursley." Harry said coldly, "dark lords are not wanted at this table."

"Why you how dare you…."

"Is there a problem here?" Severus said swooping down on the students getting Harry to retract his wand back into his wrist holder.

"No sir, I was just hoping my dear cousin does not get hurt anymore sir." Harry said glaring at Dudley coldly, "after all he is highly valued."

Severus knew a threat when he heard one but he let it go, after all he could not fully prove it and he disliked Dudley as he did not trust the boy. He could sense something dark in him and had told the headmaster but was brushed aside. Still if Dursley, muggleborn or not was recruiting an army or trying to find the dark lord he was going to put a stop to it. Most of his snakes were ambitious but Dudley was something else, he had taken the anonymous warning in the boy's first year and made sure the student's pets were safe from him. Still there had been rumors of familiars going missing and though he did not have proof he knew that Dudley had to be the one doing something to them. He was going to have to keep an even closer eye on the boy in the future as he was sure he was up to something more than just wanting to get rid of an innocent creature.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Christmas 1993:

Despite all that had happened so far this year Harry was in a good mood, yes he had to deal with Dementors in his first game against Slytherin. He had managed to catch the snitch but the Dementors had come to the field from the gates and really affected him, if not for Draco he would have a crushed skull or worse. His broom, well that had not been salvaged, he really liked it as Slughorn had got it for him as a gift when he made it to the Gryffindor team last year. Of course being the former head of Slytherin he had stated his team needed the challenge. Black had tried to break into the Gryffindor common room on Halloween and Dudley and his new gang were more obnoxious than ever. They tried to get Harry alone but Harry had his cloak and besides Neville, Ron or others in house or around the school stuck by his side. Two of his "bodyguards" got him all kinds of teasing, these were Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood, but he did not mind as they were very smart and capable witches.

Now he sat in the Gryffindor common room unwrapping his gifts from his friends and dare he say it family? No not the Dursleys, they were not family, but from Slughorn and the Weasleys who had taken him in and treated him as family. He had been suspicious at first of the Weasleys but he realized they did care and Ginny was becoming a good friend along with the rather insane but very smart Luna Lovegood. Harry finished unwrapping his gifts and saw one more, a long thin package. He picked it up and unwrapped it and saw it was a Firebolt, he ran his hands down it in awe looking at it in awe. He spent the morning going over every bit of the broom and he looked forward to taking it out to fly it. That is until McGonagall came to the common room with Hermione to see the broom, Harry was shocked and felt angry as McGonagall asked for the broom.

"But what about Quidditch?" Harry said holding the broom back.

"Well kind of hard to play if you are dead!" Hermione shot back, "if that came from Sirius Black, you know he is after you!"

"Give it to me Mr. Potter, it will need to be tested." McGonagall said and Harry handed it over, "I will get this back to you when it is fully tested."

"How could you!" Ron shouted at Hermione as soon as McGonagall left.

"No, don't get upset at her, she probably just saved my life." Harry said sitting on a squishy armchair cross-legged. "Rotten trick for him to use, send a broom he knew I would like, probably hexed it good. Thank you Hermione."

"But what will you do for a broom?" Ron asked.

"See if I have funds to buy one." Harry replied, "honestly I really do want the broom but I do like living a bit more."

Harry was good friends with Hermione and trusted her judgment and knew she was only trying to keep him safe. There was still a chance he could get to use the broom after it was checked out bit he did not want to know what would have happened if he had just used it before it was tested. He was glad to be with good friends and did not miss Dudley at all, though Dudley as a wizard had caused him to rely on his survival skills. His meeting with Slughorn gave him a adult he could trust and talk to about his life and his family. The rest of Christmas was low-key and enjoyable and Harry looked forward to the rest of the year.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts February 1994:

Harry groaned and put down the book he had been trying to read, Crookshanks, Hermione's orange squash-faced cat was seated by him and he paused in washing his face to watch the drama unfolding. Ron was clearly extremely upset as he shouted at Hermione, the reason? Ron was blaming Crookshanks for eating Scabbers his rat and he had the blood on his pillow to prove it. Of course Harry did not believe Crookshanks would have eaten Scabbers, he was really nothing but skin and bones and why would he eat something like that? He never went after anyone else's familiar, yet he did not like Scabbers at all.

As Hermione and Ron started to insult each other (Hermione with a very vast vocabulary and Ron with an impressive bit of foreign language skills) Harry got up in a huff and left the room putting his book in his bag. His feet took him down several flights of stairs, he was surprised to very nearly run into Remus Lupin and he backed up and looked up at the man before him, well not too far as he was close to five foot four and Lupin was barely three inches taller than him. He was clad in faded and patched robes, his tawny hair streaked with gray was shorter now and his blue eyes lit up as he saw Harry. He so wanted to speak to Harry and he would keep his promise to Slughorn, he would never, ever lie to Harry, it was hard for him to trust anyone.

"Ah hello Harry, where are you off to?" Remus asked.

"Oh just need a quiet place to study, Hermione and Ron were having a discussion." Harry replied.

"Hmm, I was going to have some tea, you would you care to join me?" Remus asked.

"Thank you." Harry said.

He followed Remus into his office and took a seat at the table before the fireplace. It was much warmer here than in the corridor, the corridor being a bit chilly, livable but still chilly. Remus called for a house elf and ordered tea and in short order a fine tea was laid before them. There were little sandwiches of ham salad and cucumber, an egg each, muffins with jam and clotted cream and a nice chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream frosting. They ate in silence for a time and Harry wondered how to go about asking Remus about his parents, he had not asked before as he was not sure what the man would say to him, sure he had taught him the Patronus charm and all and he was grateful for that. He had to be brave, he was Gryffindor after all!

"Sir, you said you knew my parents, what were they like?" Harry asked.

"Well they were as good as you could get in the end." Remus said, "still they were human, and well your father though I loved him in school, well he was a right bastard of a teen."

"Oh, what did he do?" Harry asked, "was he a bully?"

"Oh yes, and well it's part of the reason professor Snape does not like me, I was a Prefect and well I should have done more to stop James and Sirius." Remus said. "The Weasley twins, well they love to prank but they prank not to harm but to make others laugh. Sometimes your father well he and Sirius, they were best friends you see well they would cross the line. It took your mother sorting at least James out to stop that sort of thing, but Sirius, well it seemed he was lost, he could not get over his demons."

"He as good as killed my parents." Harry said coldly, "I cannot forgive him for that."

"Well he did not have a good upbringing, now that is no excuse to go bad, but well he came from a very dark and abusive family, think being hexed and cursed growing up bad." Remus said.

"Still he is after me and I almost wish he would find me, I could kill him then." Harry said meaning it.

It was this time that Severus stepped into the room with a seaming goblet, he had heard Remus talking and he was impressed that he was not sugarcoating what kind of person James had been in school. He walked up to Remus and put the goblet before him and made sure to watch him drink it down. He was at war deep inside, he feared this creature before him, he would never forget that Sirius had tried to feed him to Remus's werewolf form yet Remus was no Grayback. He really had changed and for the better, still he was not going to let his guard down around him, he was still a monster and had to be carefully watched at all times. If he harmed Harry he would get the pleasure of meeting several silver instruments of Severus's where no-one would ever find him or hear his screams.

"I have more if you need it." Severus said to Remus.

"Thank you Severus, you are very good to make this for me." Remus said.

"Wolfsbane right?" Harry said getting Remus to look at him in shock.

"Hermione figured it out, she knew I would not tell anyone so she told me, I don't mind, I mean you lock yourself up at that time right?" Harry said.

"I do, so my furry problem does not bother you?" Remus said.

"No, though you must be the only man I know who has that time of month." Harry said his green eyes lighting up in mirth and getting Remus to laugh.

"Merlin Harry your father said the same thing when he found out! You really don't mind do you?" Remus asked.

"Well as long as you do not mind me being a er well I can talk to snakes." Harry said.

"Really, well there is a talent I always wanted." Remus said.

The day ended on a positive note for Harry and even Severus, Remus really was not all that bad he thought as he left the classroom. Still he always had silver on him and had proven in battle he could take down a werewolf with magic even when they were transformed. Still he did not want to do that, though he had been pleased Remus was not the same weak-willed boy in school. No he was much wiser and he was grateful he had told Harry the truth about his father in school. James was a bully of the worst kind and if not for Lily there was a good chance he would have ended up in Azkaban as he was well on his way after all the things he got away with in school.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts June 1994:

Harry took a seat in the Gryffindor common room with Hermione, both looked very glum. It seemed that Dudley had managed to get his way yet again, even in this world. Buckbeak was to die and there was nothing that could be done about it, or wasn't there? Harry had Dobby and could use him to help free Buckbeak, but he would have to keep the plan to himself, for now at least. Neville came over and took a seat by Harry and Hermione. Hagrid was not taking the loss of the trial well at all, and in fact Buckbeak would die that very night. Harry needed to go out, to get some air and so he left the common room with Hermione and Neville following him. He was headed out the door when he saw his arrogant hated cousin and saw red and stormed up to him.

Was it not enough his cousin had kept him friendless when they were in primary school? Was it not enough he had to learn advanced spells in defense and healing due to his cousin sending his minions (someone like him did not have friends after all) after him to hurt and curse him? No he had to get an innocent animal who had reacted just as he had been warned he would if he insulted him would. He had used his connections (and how he had those Harry had a very bad feeling about) to get Buckbeak killed. All because he could and Harry had enough of him and was going to let him know just what he thought of him, he did not care of he did not have a home to go to over the summer, at least he would finally say something to his cousin.

"So proud of yourself?" Harry said coldly to Dudley. "Who did you have to do to in order to get a verdict?"

"Sounds more like your sort of thing." Dudley said turning to Harry, "You are nothing more than a weakling, a freak that should have died instead of your parents as you are nothing but a dark lord in training."

"Takes one to know one." Harry shot back at Dudley.

"I see a pathetic little boy who is not happy unless he can hurt others." Neville said, "how you ended up in Slytherin in or any house at Hogwarts is beyond me."

"Oh because you are a pureblood and I am not?" Dudley shot back.

"No because you are evil, I see you and I see evil and I don't like you." Hermione added, "you remind me of serial killers."

"Why don't you shut it you whore!" Dudley said.

Hermione snapped, she had had it with this bullying boy. He had tormented her and her friends, made fun of and terrorized those he though below him and she was not going to put up with it any more. Though she was not taking so many classes was over loaded she was still stressing as she (and many students in fact) were taking their non-magical Os this year, an idea from Harry who wanted to be prepared for both worlds. She saw red and stormed up to him and kicked him right in the groin. He let out a small squeak and slowly fell to the floor curled up in pain with tears in his eyes. Hermione had her wand out pointed at the crumpled form when Ron walked up taking in what had been done.

"Hermione don't, he is not worth it." Ron said quietly, "he is nothing more than a filthy bully."

"Right there," Neville said, "you are the real freak Dursley, come guys, I am going to see Hagrid."

"Good idea." Harry said.

"Wait until I tell my parents!" Dudley said, "you will pay then Potter!"

"Say anything to them and I will kill you." Neville said surprising his friends, he was normally very mild mannered, "I mean it, you will not harm my friends!"

Harry, Hermione and Ron followed him out and down to Hagrid's hut. There they did their best to calm him as he would have to witness the death of Buckbeak. However what he did not know was that Harry had told Dobby to free Buckbeak in a way that would not incriminate Hagrid. That done he had gone into the hut where Hermione had helped get tea ready. While she was cleaning up the broken jug and spilled milk with her wand Ron had got another jug down and who should scamper out but his rat Scabbers.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Yes I left a little cliffy here for you all. I have never seen Dudley as stupid, crafty and smart in things he wanted to be smart in yes. This is why he is Slytherin and Harry, who really is noble and all that is Gryffindor. That is why I think Dudley would be able to have allies and friends, I doubt he really believes Harry is dark, he just says that to get those few on his side he can. He is a bully and as such he would want to hurt others, in fact he has taken Draco's place in part as the main bully at Hogwarts for Harry. The meeting on the train went different back before they were sorted so Harry and Draco had an alliance of sorts and are not enemies. _

_Remus here has had to have a good hard look at his friends, and this is in part due to Slughorn. Remember Harry is writing him often, nearly every day, I don't show that fully here as these first chapters are mainly filler and not everything can fit in. Thus Slughorn knows Harry and he cares about Harry, not the boy-who-lived here and him having a talk with Remus before he talked with Harry would get him to speak only the truth. Which is why he saw how James and Sirius were in school with the blinders off. You can bet Harry is going to trust someone more if he is told the truth, and this will help with Remus and Severus getting along in the future as well._

_So, as always, please do review._


	5. Chapter 5: The Prince's Tale

Chapter Five: The Prince's Tale:

Hogwarts May 1994:

Severus Snape sat in his sitting room in his quarters at Hogwarts deep in thought. The news he had just got from Dumbledore was upsetting to say the least. That the ministry would keep this from him for so long was criminal, yes he had been a death eater, but he had turned spy! It was not right for the ministry to keep this from him! It did make since now why he had never wanted to date Lily, why he loved her so deeply and truly but not the love of a lover, but of family. She was his _sister,_ his half sister, it seemed his father and Lily's mother had been unhappy in marriage for a time and a one night stand resulted in Lily. She had found out from her mother just before she had died and had intended on telling Severus. Yet she had died on Halloween and the ministry had made sure that Dumbledore had no choice but to send Harry to his muggle aunt. Better here than he a death eater after all, it would not have come out but for the errors of a certain Barty Crouch.

It seemed one Bertha Jones had gone to get some papers signed by Crouch Senior, for some reason Slughorn was in the area and witnessed Crouch using a memory charm on her. He sprung to action and alerted the ministry who had come to question Crouch and found something far, far worse than his use of a memory charm, he was hiding his own son who should have die in Azkaban! That was a month ago and not much word was led out into the papers, it seemed Fudge wanted to keep that news under wraps until he had got Black back and announce his victory in one fell swoop. It came to light the letter Crouch had kept hidden, one that he had stolen from Godric Hallow that was to Severus that explained everything to him. It was probably good it was Dumbledore who told him the truth as he was one of the few powerful enough to contain the raging potions master and lock him in his rooms before he went on a killing spree.

"Severus my boy are you alright?" Slughorn said easing himself into a seat across from Severus, "stopped wanting to kill someone?"

"No."

"You wish to throw something?"

"Yes."

"Oh, how about tea then?" Slughorn said taking the Firewhisky bottle from Severus, "better than a stiff drink any day."

Severus just glared up at his former head of house but did not try to get the bottle back. He too trusted Slughorn, well that trust had to be earned as after it was after he joined the dark lord and realized his mistake. How Voldemort had lied to gain his followers and how Severus was stuck with a madman who would destroy the magical world if he continued in his war. He took the cup of tea offered him knowing there was a calming drought added but downing it anyway. He settled back in his chair and closed his eyes thinking back to how one thing had changed his life forever.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

June 1980 The Forbidden Forest:

Slughorn was walking through the forest looking for rare herbs when he heard the sound of someone crying. Thinking a student had managed to come out here and might be hurt he hurried on wand out and found a shocking sight. Seated curled up under a tree was a former student, a prodigy in fact of his. Severus Snape sat under the tree shirtless with a knife in hand ready to drive it through his heart. Slughorn had yanked the knife out of his hands and got the boy's wand before he could even stand to fight back. Severus looked up at him with tears streaming down his face looking so lost and terrified.

"Let me die!" Severus said, "just let me die!"

"No, you and I will talk Severus, get dressed now." Slughorn said sternly, "does this have anything to do with you joining the dark lord?"

"Who told you did he?" Severus snarled as he drew on his shirt and robes anger in his eyes, "how dare he…"

"No, I have had my suspicions for a long time, come you and I will talk."

He led the boy back to the school, noting that Severus was wearing black master's robes over his simple high collared buttoned inner robes. So he was proud of his potions masters at least. He led Severus to his quarters and had him take a seat. He had his house elf bring tea and put a calming drought in Severus's letting Severus see him do so. Once Severus had calmed down enough Slughorn asked him the question he had wanted to for a long time.

"When did you join him?" Slughorn asked, "straight out of Hogwarts?"

"Not straight away, I apprenticed with madam Jigger and within six months my improvements on blood replenishing potion had gained me my mastership and gave me income I still collect." Severus replied.

"So when did ye join?"

"Right after I got my master." Severus replied, "even the dark lord did not expect me to gain it so quickly."

Slughorn listened to Severus and learned the whole tale of how he had joined. _Severus had continued to work under Madam Jigger and was thinking of maybe opening his own shop, then Lucius came to him with a sealed letter. Severus took it and read it and saw the invitation to meet Voldemort. He was understandably nervous but this was what he wanted, to be part of something greater than himself. He was going to help save the world and gain power too! For such a poor young man from the mills he knew this was a great opportunity for him. He dressed in his best black robes, took care to make sure he looked his best. He Apparated to the point that the letter told him to and saw several people in black robes and hoods and white masks._

_"If you are ready step forward." One of the wizards said._

_"I am." Severus replied._

_"Once you do this there is no backing out, you are his until death." The wizard told him, "if you are ready and wish to do this take my arm."_

_Severus took the wizard's arm and he found himself Apparating away, when he landed he found himself in a large underground hall with white marble floors and rows of black marble columns marching up the hall to where a figure sat waiting. Severus barely noticed the other death eaters come into the room as he walked up to face Voldemort for the first time. He was flanked by two others and though he did not know this at the time his face had been obscured so that no-one but the dark lord would know all of his death eaters. Severus walked up to the hooded black clad figure and he knelt as did the other wizards next to him._

_"Master I brought him." The same wizard, Karkaroff said next to Severus._

_"Very good, rise young Snape, I hear you have done very well." Voldemort said to the tall lean youth before him._

_"I wish only to better the Wizarding world." Severus replied._

_"Good, come closer child." Voldemort said rising to his feet._

_Severus did have an idea as to what was going to happen, he looked into Voldemort's eyes and let Voldemort search his mind, all of it but a small part he managed to keep hidden. He was surprised he had this ability and what was more the dark lord did not seem to know! Finally done Voldemort let Severus go and Severus bowed low. Severus knew he was in but he knew there was one last test he had to pass, he had to get his dark mark. It would make him powerful and let his lord and master know when he wanted his servants by his side. Voldemort walked back to his throne but did not take a seat. Instead he took up what looked like a branding iron and walked back to Severus._

_"You really do wish this then?" Voldemort asked, "once I mark you as mine you are mine for life. I will be your master and I will protect you. However as your lord and master you will have to do as I ask, failure will be punished but I do not expect you to fail."_

_"I pledge my loyalty to you master." Severus said kneeling, "I wish to serve you to death."_

_"Good, very good, I will never betray you do not do so to me." Voldemort replied softly._

_"I will not master." Severus said looking up at Voldemort and he meant that._

_"Good, come Igor, Lucius hold him and Severus child roll up your left sleeve."_

_Severus did exposing the pale white flesh, he turned over his arm and Voldemort chanted over the branding iron and it grew white hot. He applied it to the bare flesh and Severus moaned in pain and bit his lip to not cry out. He was sure Voldemort would be displeased this once if he cried out and he was right. Finally the branding was done and Severus looked down at his arm, there on his arm was the mark. It was fading from red to inky blackness and Severus looked at it in awe. It was a skull with snake coming out of the mouth and he felt proud to have this. He fell to his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robe too overcome with emotion to speak at the moment._

_"Go, I will call you in three days and will go over what I wish you to do." Voldemort said._

_"Yes master, thank you master." Severus replied._

_He had left and went back to the simple but nice rooms he had rented in Diagon Alley. They were clean and neat and though not elegant they were not shabby. He saw the letter on the table and went and read it seeing that Madam Jigger needed him to work on a wart vanishing potion for owls. The warts were not something fatal on the owls but they did make it hard for them to fly and as they were magical warts care in the right kind of potion had been hard to come by. He started work right away and had just worked out a new potion when he was summoned three days later._

_He walked out of Diagon Alley, pressed his wand to the mark and was whisked away, he landed in a room and knelt at once before Voldemort. He was bid to rise and saw he was in a nice room with old rug large fireplace and Karkaroff waiting with a bundle in his hands. So this was it, he was to get the robes, hood and mask of a death eater today. Voldemort had a reason to wait so long, he wanted his followers to have time to form the doubts that a few foolish ones had and then he could kill them. He put Severus through Legilimens and satisfied he really wanted to be here he stepped back smiling._

_"I need a potions master." Voldemort said, "you are very young but so talented child."_

_"I-I would be honored master." Severus replied._

_"Good, Igor give him the vestments of his office." Voldemort said and Severus soon found himself garbed in his new death eater robes, hood and mask. "There, my young knight and potions master, you are one of us now."_

_"Thank you so much master." Severus said bowing to Voldemort._

_"You will be at the Christmas party at Malfoy manor I take it?" Voldemort said to Severus._

_"Yes master."_

_"Good, I may see you there, go when I need you I will call for you."_

_"Yes master."_

_Severus left and went back to his work with Madam Jigger to wait for the Christmas Party. _Slughorn sat back after hearing this, he was sure that Severus had spoke to Dumbledore and that Dumbledore had not been kind to him at all. Why else was he trying to kill himself? Slughorn knew Severus felt badly and he listened as Severus told him of the bits of the prophecy he had heard and how he had told Voldemort.

"I didn't think it was real sir, just a joke to share." Severus said looking at Slughorn with pleading eyes, "I don't believe in such things how was I to know he would?"

"Dark lords usually do believe such nonsense." Slughorn said, "as do many others, you are not to blame, you did not think you did harm, but let me ask you this, you believe he will go after the Potters?"

"Yes sir and there is another child to be born at the end of July sir. I could be the Longbottoms though the dark lord did say it would be the Potters." Severus replied. "I am evil and should be killed!"

"No, you are not, you are going to be needed at Hogwarts, I am thinking of retiring as it is." Slughorn said, "I want you to take over."

"But I am too young, me a head of house and potions instructor?" Severus said eyes going wide. "Even the headmaster will not see that as a good idea!"

"If I tell him I want it the he will." Slughorn said.

Slughorn was a good as his word and after two years under tutelage he took over Slytherin house and became the new potions master at Hogwarts. Slughorn had in those first two years had to stop Severus trying to kill himself and finally had to get an unbreakable vow from him to not do so. He cared about him and though he did retire he was still there for Severus over the years.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: May 1994:

Slughorn sat back and knew exactly what he was going to do for Severus, in fact he had started working to get Harry away from his aunt and uncle. He saw Severus had calmed down though he was not fully sober, he took care of that problem by shoving a sobering potion at him and plying him with very strong coffee until Severus was very sober and very much awake and alert.

"I will make sure he is in your care before the end of this year." Slughorn said, "you have my word on this."

"Thank you, you are far too good to me." Severus replied.

"Well you are a good man Severus, one day you will believe that." Slughorn said, "now go out there and find some students to terrorize, give some detentions take points."

"Gladly." Severus said getting up and drawing on his masters robes, "wonder if there are any Gryffindors I really can dock points from, or where Minerva is at?"

The chuckle he got from Slughorn just got him to glare as he walked from his rooms. Though he may not want to admit it Horace was a great friend and mentor to him and he really did not know what he would do without his help in his life.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So, a bit of a twist, instead of Severus is Harry's dad I did the, Tobias is Lily's father and that makes Severus Harry's uncle. The ministry hiding this seems to be something they would do, after all they don't seem to care when they throw innocent people into Azkaban to rot. Fate did help out here too, with McGonagall seeing that Severus was hurt and alerting Slughorn. Severus was very able to hide things in canon, I am sure he was able to hide the abuse he was subjected to and though Slughorn, I am sure was good at helping others, Severus was too prideful to think he needed that help, the first time around. _

_So do please review!_


	6. Chapter 6: The Truth Revealed

Chapter Six: The Truth Revealed:

Hogwarts June 1994:

Ron had put Scabbers back into a pocket of his robes and was munching on some biscuits that Hagrid had bought and not made. They were heading back to the school as the execution would take place soon and they were not to be there when that happened. It really was not fair as Buckbeak had done nothing wrong, he did not deserve to be executed. As the four teens headed back up to the school a large shaggy black dog came out of no-where and grabbed Ron by the robes dragging him to the Whomping willow. Harry screamed in anger as Ron was dragged through a tunnel below the tree and ran after him.

"Neville go to the school, get a professor." Hermione said.

"No you go back I am going to go help them!" Neville replied.

"Fine, you know rock paper scissors?" Hermione asked.

"I do, one, two three!" Neville said swearing as Hermione got rock and he scissors. "Fine, but be careful!"

"As always."

Hermione disappeared into the tunnel under the whomping willow just in time and Neville ran back to the school. Hermione quickly caught up to Harry and both went along the tunnel that they barely could stand upright in until they came to a trapdoor. They went through it and found they were in the shrieking shack, it looked as if someone had gone through here and ripped the place to pieces. Walls had holes with boards nailed over them, the windows had no glass and only the shutters, nailed shut kept out any chill. They headed up the stairs quietly hearing voices from a room on the right, Harry was still, even with his more cautious outlook on life a Gryffindor through and through and so he barged into the room.

He saw Ron sprawled on a bed, his leg clearly broken but someone had tried to splint it with some planks and old sheets. Harry turned to where Ron was looking and he snarled in rage at the figure stepping from the shadows. The man was very tall but extremely thin and was clad in what was left of a prison uniform. He was barefoot and his tangled and knotted hair hung nearly to his waist. His beard was tangled and very nearly as long and his eyes, though still gray were nearly fully dead and crazed. Harry knew who this was an utter hate filled him, this man was responsible for him losing his parents, he had spent ten years of his life with his _lovely _relations because of this piece of filth before him.

"So you came to kill me did you?" Harry said coldly his green eyes glowing.

"Harry you have to listen to me!" Sirius said.

"**You killed my parents and you want me to listen to you**?" Harry shouted trembling in rage, "**because of you I have no real family, I spent ten years of my life living in a cupboard because of you! I was hit by my **_**dear**_** aunt on a weekly bases because of you! You damn near ruined my life you spineless cowardly bastard! I loathe you and I will kill you myself!**"

"Oh Harry!" Hermione said, she knew Harry did not have a good home life but never knew it was that bad, he had to be really distraught to even say this out loud.

With a roar Harry tackled the older bigger wizard and threw him to the floor. Sirius was too shocked and too weak to fight Harry off as Harry began to beat the life out of him. Harry was punching him full in the face when someone drug him off of Sirius. Strong arms carried him back away from Sirius and all Harry could do was scream in rage and anger and try to break free. He saw Severus Snape walk up and bind Sirius with a flick of his wand and turned to Harry who now was trying to attack him in his rage and anger. He took out a vial and walked up to Harry and looked the teen in the eye holding up the vial.

"If you do not calm down this instant I will give this to you." Severus said, "it is a calming drought."

"F- off Snape, let me at him!" Harry snarled.

"Harry stop, justice will be served but Severus is right, you need to calm down." Remus said, he had a bloody nose and split lip from Harry but he would not harm the boy, "calm down Harry."

"Here, we don't have time for this." Severus said pouring the calming drought down Harry's throat.

Harry let the slightly sweet potion slide down his throat and a wonderful warmth spread from his gut up to his brain and he did indeed calm down. He was led to sit on the bed while Severus scanned Ron's leg, set it properly and bandaged it well. Then he reached into Ron's robe pocket and took out Scabbers and looked at the rat keenly, Ron tried to get Scabbers back but one look from Severus got him to not even try to get the rat back. He lay back and watched as Harry relaxed and lay back against the dusty bed and looked up at the two professors above him. He wanted to know what the hell was going on, but to learn that they had to go back half an hour.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Remus Lupin's Office Hogwarts June 1994:

Remus looked at the map in horror, he had just found it as the Weasley twins were a bit careless (to be fair they did not know he was a werewolf and had very keen senses, which meant he had very good hearing) and he had got the map from them. He watched as Ron walked from Hagrid's hut and there was another name with him, Peter Pettigrew, another dot had come, that of Sirius Black and he knew he had to act. He got up to leave the room when Severus came in with his potion. He grabbed it and downed it and made to move to leave the room when Severus blocked his way wand out.

"Where are you going Lupin?" Severus asked, "it is the full moon."

"Look at this then, it's a map of the school, shows all the students." Remus said shoving the map under his nose, "I suppose you can see this?"

"I am not blind of course…. What the hell are four students doing out, and why is Pettigrew on this map he is dead." Severus said.

"I am going to stop them." Remus said, "you can come."

"Of course I will come, you are dangerous, you think I would let you go off on your own you damn wolf?" Severus snarled, "you will stay close to me or I swear you I will borrow Filches equipment and a dungeon!"

He actually collared Remus and drug him out with him, he was not going to let him out of his sight, or let him get away. Remus was dangerous and the full moon would be up in an hour or so as it was. They came out of the school and found Neville running back to the school, he looked more angry than scared and Severus looked around for Harry and Hermione. Not seeing them he snarled in rage getting Neville to step back in fear from him. Ron would not be in trouble but Severus was thinking on all kinds of horrible things he could have Harry do and the tongue lashing he would give to Hermione.

"Where are Potter and Granger?" Severus snapped at him.

"They went to save Ron, I was going to go but I lost at rock paper scissors." Neville said.

"Go to the infirmary, notify madam Pomfrey there might be a few patients." Remus said, "we will take care of Black."

"Yes sir." Neville said.

He ran on and Severus drug Remus to the whomping willow and levitated a stick at the knot in the tree. He had very bad memories of nearly being eaten by Remus here but that would not happen now. He had killed Grayback, a very powerful and deadly werewolf, and Remus though a powerful wizard was not a very powerful werewolf. Both wizards exited the tunnel in the shack and headed up stairs. Remus saw Harry was bloodying Sirius and he went and drug the boy off of Sirius, getting hit by said boy a few times. He watched as Severus tied up Sirius then went and warned Harry to calm down. Harry did not and instead he swore at him, this got Severus to force the calming drought down him, then he went after the rat.

"I take it this is Pettigrew?" Severus said holding up the now squealing rat by the tail, "looks more like something even my snakes would not eat."

"Give me my rat back!" Ron said, "you leave Scabbers alone."

"Oh that is not Scabbers, Pettigrew, framed me all those years ago." Sirius said hoarsely, "Harry I am so sorry for what I did, you have every right to hate me."

"You were the secret keeper, you were suppose to keep the Potters safe!" Severus snarled pointing his wand at Sirius, "give me one reason not to strike you dead."

"You have every right, I did betray the Potters." Sirius said.

"You bastard!" Harry snarled but due to the calming drought he did not feel like moving.

"Let's see what Peter has to say shall we?" Severus said throwing the rat to the floor and casting a spell.

At once the rat turned into a small man with thinning blond hair and water blue eyes. He was clad in gray robes that were very loose on a once pudgy frame and he was looking around the room nervously. Severus was glad he had come to give Remus his potions each month as it had led to finding two traitors it seemed. He knew one of them was the secret keeper but which one? He had a way to find out, only the one who was the secret keeper, even years after the charm was set could say the actual address of the house. He stepped back and lowered his wand and looked from the gaunt and nearly dead form of Sirius to the trembling form of Pettigrew.

"You know I never did get a chance to see the cottage in Godric's Hallow, who knows the address?" Severus asked.

"1224 Gray Stone Creek Road." Peter said.

"You son of a bitch, it was you!" Severus said coldly binding him so he could not move, "now, I am going to take these two up to Hogwarts, Lupin you will stay here, Potter, Granger, Weasley come with me now!"

"It was not Sirius who was the secret keeper?" Harry said looking surprised, "but why?"

"Because I knew I would break under Voldemort's torture, my father was a supporter and he would have taken great pleasure in telling him my darkest fears." Sirius said, "I thought using Peter was brilliant, that no-one would suspect him. I was wrong, I was so very wrong and I am so sorry!"

"Let's go, now." Severus said coldly waving his wand causing his Patronus of a raven to fly out and head up to the castle. "Can you walk Weasley?"

"Yes sir, I can."

Yet before anyone could leave Remus stepped forward, the full moon still had to reach him so he still had time to talk to his old friends. There were tears in his blue eyes as he looked on Pettigrew who did not look one bit guilty, scared sure but not guilty. Severus bit back the sharp words he was about to use against Remus, he could feel the pain the werewolf was feeling. How could all they had been through, the deep friendship, the brotherhood they had formed mean nothing to him? His heart was fully and truly breaking all over again and he wanted to curl up and die the pain was so fresh and raw to him. He was not fully aware he was crying when he spoke his voice soft and low.

"Why Peter? You were my brother, I loved you!" Remus said, "we all did, you were so smart and strong, did not anything we went through mean anything to you?"

"He was too powerful, I could not fight him, you don't understand!" Pettigrew stammered.

"Then you should have let him kill you." Severus said quietly, "but for a mistake on his part I would have died at his hands, he tortured me as well Pettigrew, did he do the same to you or did you just join him out of fear?"

"You don't know his power!" Pettigrew continued.

"You don't convince me." Harry said glaring at him, "framing an innocent man shows great evil, not weakness."

"I agree, I will kill you!" Sirius snarled, "you are just as evil as my father! You his whore, was that where you learned how to betray and kill?"

"Let's go." Severus said, "leave Remus here to his furry self, I warn you Lupin, follow us and I will kill you."

"I will stay here." Remus said.

Severus conjured up a stretcher and put Ron on it and cast a few spells at Sirius and Pettigrew making sure they could not transform. Then, with Harry and Hermione he made the trek back to the school through the tunnel. He had to bend over as the tunnel was barely five feet high and in some places a little less than that. They came out of the tunnel and started to head back to the school when the Dementors swooped in around them. Severus cast his Patronus but it was barely able to keep the Dementors back. Harry cast his though it was only a mist here and tried to cast it again. A cat joined Severus's but it was not going to be enough and Harry knew exactly who they were after. It was not Sirius they wanted, they called for him and he could not resist that call, he could hear screaming in the back of his mind, he was not sure if it was his mother or Hermione at this point.

"Get back to the castle, I have to hold them off." Harry said.

"Don't you dare you silly child!" Severus snarled.

"It will be alright sir." Harry said, "I have to do this."

Before Severus could grab him and stop him Harry had broke free from the group and was leading the Dementors away. The screaming was getting louder and he fell, only to be grabbed and forced to face one of the Dementors, he was going to die, or worse. He could see the rotting mouth, feel the cold icy breath and then nothing, he returned to consciousness when he hit the ground feeling a bit lighter. He was not sure what had happened but he stood up and saw the Dementors taking a step back, he cried out to whatever God or Gods were out there for help to rid the world of this evil and cast his Patronus. What happened next was not possible, not for magic or for anything for that matter. A bright light emitted from Harry himself, through his eyes, mouth and hands and his whole body, it was so bright that those close to it had to shield their eyes. When they could see again there was not a Dementor in sight and Harry lay still on the turf. Severus stunned Sirius and Pettigrew and ran to Harry getting there before McGonagall who had come out of the castle to bring the students back.

"Is he…." She could not finish the sentence, if he were dead she could not bear it.

"No, he lives." Severus said after checking his pulse.

"Hello uncle Severus." Harry said sleepily, "mum says hi."

"H-Harry?" Severus said.

"Yea, tired, gonna sleep now." Harry said.

He passed out once more and Severus picked him up caring him back to the castle while McGonagall was filled in on what had happened in the shack. She took Sirius and Pettigrew to her office while Severus took Harry, Ron and Hermione straight to the infirmary. There a yellow Persian cat with sweet doll face and light green eyes waited for Harry, once Harry was changed to hospital pajamas and put to bed the cat curled up by him. Poppy allowed it and after a few scans could only find physical exhaustion Harry. She went to fix Ron's leg and had him tucked up in bed, Hermione was the only one that did not need care but she did not want to leave her friends. Only when she was told she could come back early the next morning did she relent and head back to the Gryffindor tower.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

McGonagall's Office, Hogwarts: June 1994:

Severus stood before the two bound prisoners and glared down at them. He had used a few well executed cleaning spells to clean up Sirius, not because he cared if being dirty made Sirius uncomfortable. The dirt on the man made _him_ uncomfortable. People may have made fun of his naturally greasy hair but he was a very clean man who kept all his areas as neat and clean as he could. In fact the better the mood he was in the cleaner and neater his surroundings. He had cut most of Sirius's hair and beard, again due to the fact that most of it was so matted that any below his shoulders could not be saved. He was still in ragged prison garb but at least he did not smell so horrible now, Pettigrew though still smelled so much like a rat that Severus had to back away from him.

He turned as the door opened and several Aurors came in, one was Dawlish and he glared at the man, he did not have any good feelings towards this man at all. Next to him was Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody, he was a shorter, strongly built man with long grizzled gray hair. His face was so horribly scarred and savaged it barely looked human, he had one normal beady eye and one magical blue eye (he could only see magic with it, but Severus love to rile him up by calling him a pervert from time to time) he had one real leg and one wooden carved one, he was clad in the Auror uniform and nodded to Severus and turned to the captives here. Fudge came up and paled, it was clear he felt vulnerable as he had not been able to find any Dementors to come help him here.

"How, how is he alive?" Fudge said taking in Pettigrew.

"It's him, I watched him, even took blood." Severus said, "pity he is needed alive."

"Severus!" McGonagall warned him as she walked into the room with Dumbledore, "I don't want blood in my office if you please!"

"Fine, I will take them down to the dungeons." Severus grumbled.

"You have the Veritaserum?" Moody said to Severus, "and no ye may no' poison either of them."

"Is there to be no fun for me at all?" Severus asked turning to dose Sirius, "pity, I wanted to watch you scream."

"We will do this by the book, Black should have got this years ago." Moody said, "now then let's see what ye know, yer name boy?"

"Sirius Orion Black." Sirius said.

"When were you born?"

"March 15, 1960." Sirius replied.

"Were you a supporter and follower of Voldemort?" Moody asked.

"No."

"A death eater?"

"No."

"Did you kill thirteen muggles?"

"No Peter did, I am not guilty of that crime." Sirius replied.

"Were you the Potter's secret keeper?"

"No, switched with Peter, thought he was my brother, never thought it would betray us." Sirius said.

"Minister you got any questions fer him?" Moody asked Fudge.

"No, unless he knows what happened to the Dementors." Fudge replied.

"Oh Harry Potter did not like them." Severus said coolly, "so he got rid of them."

"Whatever do you mean got rid of them?" Fudge asked.

"There was a bright light then they were gone, don't ask me how, he is Harry isn't he?" Severus said enjoying the look on the minister's face, "now if you do not mind I am going to see to _my_ nephew and make sure he is alright, then give him detention."

Severus was done here, he was glad that the real culprit had been caught, even if it meant that one Sirius Black was out of prison. He was not going to allow Sirius to take Harry from him of course, he might let him visit Harry, once he was acquitted but he had better behave or he would face his wrath. Maybe he should have Lucius talk to him about what he could to when he got upset, that would be fun to watch. Or he could put the fear of God into the insane pureblood mutt himself. He walked down to the Hospital wing in a billow of black robes to see how Harry was doing, and almost petted the sweet little cat watching over Harry but he did not want to press his luck anymore this evening.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So now the truth is out and what a ride it was! Severus came this time to give Remus a new batch of improved Wolfsbane here and saw the map, he could see what going on with the dots and of course he wanted to protect the students. I did make up the address as only the secret keeper could state it, I mean really, ask what the address of Godric's hallow was and would not the one who is secret keeper say it? Oh and if you think Severus is going to lie down and let Sirius take full custody of Harry, yea that is not going to happen. Though they will have to learn to get along as both will want what is best for Harry._

_Oh and do review please!_


	7. Chapter 7: New Guardians and Revelations

Chapter Seven: New Guardians and Revelations:

Hogwarts Infirmary June 14 1994:

Sirius stood in the hot shower letting the water run over his very thin body, he sighed as the water helped get rid of the layers of filth still on him despite Severus's best attempts. He looked up as the door to the showers opened and Severus Snape entered the room. With a wave of his wand he sent two bottles to Sirius, Sirius saw one was a shampoo the other a flea and vermin potion. He glared at Severus and growled but Severus was not impressed, Sirius needed these, his robes alone had been simply crawling with creatures and who knew what was living in his hair and on his body.

"This a joke?" Sirius snapped at Severus holding up the potion.

"No, you are disgusting, and not just because you are _you _but physically." Severus said, "I think I even got a few fleas from you, had to take three baths and one shower to feel clean again."

"Oh, wait you bathe?" Severus retorted.

"Actually yes, as a potions master has to be very clean, unlike a mutt like you." Severus said coolly.

"Severus do try to be nice." Slughorn said coming into the room, "I have hot cocoa for you Mr. Black, you should drink it now, it will help."

Severus had wanted to speak to Slughorn ever since he saw him in his Animagmus form sleeping by Harry, and he wanted answers. But not in front of Sirius who took the chocolate levitated to him and drank it down before he went back to getting clean. Severus led Slughorn out of the room and cast a few spells and glared down at the shorter man who just smiled and actually patted his arm! How was he to keep his demeanor around this man when he started treating him like a bloody first year?

"What are you doing with Harry?" Severus asked.

"Taking care of him, I know what you are thinking." Slughorn said, "but this is not just the thrill of helping someone get ahead and gain something from it. No, Harry means something more, I care for him, I met him the first time he came to Diagon alley. He reminded me so much of Lily, and you at that age, I see him as a grandson, someone who needs family and I do my best to be that for him."

"You better not use him so help me I will kill you if you do!" Severus snarled, "he is my nephew."

"I know, I would never use him, in fact it would be good if it was kept secret that I am helping him. Merlin knows that boy has too much fame put on his shoulders." Slughorn said, "I want to still be in his life, he will want that."

"Fine, I am sorry, you know I have a hard time trusting."

"Your mother will want to help take care of Harry when she finds out." Slughorn said.

"Finds out what exactly?" Eileen said walking up.

It was clear where, exactly Severus got most of his looks including his build. His mother was a tall thin woman with raven black hair she wore tied back in a bun, her skin was sallow and though her nose was small and she had fuller lips than her son it was clear they were related as they both had the same black eyes and Eileen's glare was even scarier than Severus's. Here at Hogwarts she was known by the students as Irma Pince as the librarian, and watched over her library quite well, even if she was very strict with the student in _her_ domain as she called the library. She was clad in robes of midnight blue and looked from one man to the other wanting answers.

"So what is going on, this about my grandson Harry?" Eileen asked.

"Ah, er what?" Severus stammered.

"You think I would not have found out, I have my ways, now I know he is not by blood mine but he is mine no matter what you say. I will be part of his life, he will come live at Raven cottage as will you this summer along with Sirius Black."

"I hate Black, he is vile and cruel and wicked." Severus snarled.

"I can change." Sirius said walking from the bathroom toweling his hair, still naked (he really was not the most modest man at times) "I want to be part of Harry's life."

"You could start by putting something on, Merlin Black my mother does not need to see that!" Severus snarled waving his wand getting the towel Sirius was drying off with to fasten around his waist, "what is wrong with you?"

"Oh don't worry dear," Eileen said, "if he wants to embarrass himself that is fine, I need a good laugh."

"W-what?" Sirius stammered.

"Well, since I am going to have quite a few wizards in my home I need to go draw up a list of rules." Eileen said walking off, "a very long list of rules you will follow, the first being clothes are not optional."

Severus mentally sighed, this was going to be an interesting but very long summer. Oh his mother would take good care of all of them but Sirius would try to bend the rules. Severus brightened at that, his summer had just got better as Sirius trying to one up his mother was going to end with entertainment for him. Sirius was not a child and as such his mother would be very free with the hexes and curses (it was how he learned all the not dark and not deadly spells he learned after all) to him. Then again if he did not behave she would use some very well placed stinging hexes that he swore he could _still_ feel from his childhood.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts June 17 1994:

Harry woke slowly and stretched, he had such a wonderful dream, he had been with his parents and they had told him how much they loved him. His mother told him about his magical uncle Severus Snape and how much Severus would want to care and take care of him. His father had said even if he had got sorted to Slytherin he would be proud of him, but if he had ended up in Hufflepuff he was sure he would have added to Sprout's gray hairs. Both his parents had good senses of humor and made him promise if he ever did any pranks that they were funny and would not hurt or harm others.

There was more, he believed he had spoke to Merlin and the first Queen Elizabeth and even Newton, both non-magical. He had spoke even with Shakespeare who, it turned out was a squib and the last of his line. He learned a lot from them and how he was the hero of the hour and the "chosen one" to rid the world of a great evil. Every generation or so one was born to be this "chosen one" and he was the one this time, but he was not going to have to fight Voldemort alone, he would have lots of help. He opened his eyes and reached for his glasses and put them on and saw Slughorn seated by him, despite his reserve he could not help but grin at seeing him.

"Persian you came!" Harry said sitting up, "I am glad to see you sir!"

"I am glad to see you awake Harry." Slughorn said, "you had me worried."

"Sorry sir, I had to do what I did." Harry said. "Um is the ministry mad at me? I sort of destroyed their guards of Azkaban."

"Nah, I doubt it." Neville said from where he sat cross-legged on a bed across from Harry, "madam Pomfrey said you should wake today, I was not aware that Horace Slughorn was Persian Harry."

"Well if you would keep that under wraps as it were." Slughorn replied, "Harry deserves his privacy you know."

"Oh I do sir, Harry is my best friend, I never would say a word sir." Neville replied. "were you the cat that was sleeping by Harry?"

"I was."

"Brilliant, um could you teach that to me?" Neville asked, "I think it would be brilliant to be an animal."

"Well not all witches and wizards can be an Animagmus, first you will need to brew a potion and see if you can transform into your inner animal."

Neville had come a long way since first year, being friends with Harry had helped him gain confidence and to open up into a brave and kind boy. Even with his father's wand, not a good match in any since of the word his use of magic was growing by leaps and bounds. He even stood up to his gran now and then and, surprisingly she allowed it as he was to become head of the Longbottom family and had to be able to present himself as strong and capable. He looked up as Severus came into the room, gave a nod to the professor and smiled at Harry before leaving the room.

"Hello Harry." Severus said.

"Hello sir, I understand you are my uncle." Harry said, "permission to ask a question?"

"Of course."

"Why do you want to take me in?" Harry asked, "do you care about me or my fame?"

"Well I care about you Harry." Severus said taking a seat by Harry, "I want to get to know you, not some icon that the Wizarding world wishes to portray you as, I wish very much for you to come live with me. If the truth about you being my nephew had not been hidden I would have taken you in years ago."

"So what rules will I need to follow?" Harry asked and at Severus's raised eyebrow, "I don't want to end up messing up sir."

"Well, I know you study hard and have no troubles there, I do require that you are respectful, keep your room clean and ask before you go places." Severus said.

"Yes sir, wait you would let me go places sir?" Harry said looking shocked at this level of freedom, "that is brilliant sir thank you!"

"As long as you behave and do not cause trouble and it is safe then you may do so." Severus said, "tomorrow I am going to visit your aunt and uncle."

Harry wished he could be there, just to see the terror and such on his aunt's face. His uncle probably would turn red and purpled and yell but he would, in time just let his aunt deal with things. It was how he was, he did not have much to do with Harry at all, really it was as if Harry was just something for him to deal with just to keep the peace and nothing more. Maybe if Petunia had not been in the picture he and Vernon could have got on and even been on good terms, even. Still Harry was happy, he was not ever going to have to live with his horrid aunt again and the only time he had to see his cousin was here at school.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Privet Drive June 18, 1994:

Severus Snape walked from where he had Apparated next to Mrs. Figg's home on Wisteria Walk and up to Privet drive. He scowled at the large homes with their neatly kept lawns with perfect rows of flowers below the windows. Cars were kept mainly in the garages and the homes were so close together they would have been better to be terraced than with the tiny side yards that led to the back. Severus hated this place, even Spinners End, as poor as it was had more character than this place did. It felt sterile and confining, not a team flag or even a Union Jack could be seen, not even in a window, each and every house seemed to have white curtains that faced the street. He felt for Harry having to grow up here, this was not really any place for fun for a young child or an adult as far as he could see.

He walked up the perfectly placed walk of number 4 Privet Drive and rang the bell, and winced as it was an off-key rendition of Big Ben. He heard heavy footsteps and the door opened to reveal a tall heavy set man clad in an expensive blue polo shirt, navy trousers and polished shoes. He had dark hair and large mustache and beady blue eyes that took in Severus. Severus had done his best to dress muggle, he had his own muggle style, he favored jeans tucked into his heavy black dragonskin boots and had a black tee under his long black overcoat. He had tied back his black hair and looked more rock star than potions master that he was. Vernon knew exactly who this was, it was his son's head of house and not a man to mess with, his wife was not home and so he acted far nicer than he would have had she been there.

"Mr. Dursley I presume?" Severus asked.

"Yes, do come in, Petunia stepped out, she should be back soon." Vernon said leading him to the sitting room, "er care for tea?"

"No thank you, I am here about Harry." Severus said watching Vernon sigh but not show anger, "tell me what you think of the boy?"

"Well he is not, never was a bad boy, just Petunia never could stand him." Vernon said, "I did my best professor Snape, you cannot say I did not, I made sure he was fed and clothed, well if I had a choice he would have been treated better."

"Why did you not have a choice?" Severus asked.

"Well Petunia, I love her and she is not bad, just I don't know I could have done more, you are taking him aren't you?" Vernon asked.

"Yes, I am, you read the letter then?" Severus asked.

"More like heard Petunia rant about it, seems she hates you, you grew up with her?" Vernon asked.

"You could say that." Severus said turning as the front door opened and Petunia entered the house, "ah and here she is."

"You!" Petunia screeched seeing Severus.

Severus rose to his feet smiling as Petunia realized, one he was much taller than her now and two he was a very dangerous wizard. She paled and backed from him but Severus just bowed politely to her smiling a bit mockingly at her. She was clad in a nice pale pink shirt and darker pink skirt with pretty walking shoes and she had a large purse in hand, Severus knew she was thinking of using it on him but he was not going to let her. After all he was not the little boy she tried to bully any more. His eyes went hard and cold and Petunia gulped as Severus stepped up to stand before her with Vernon leaping up to stop whatever he planned on doing.

"I will not harm your wife Mr. Dursley." Severus said, "but I have a few words to say to her."

"The freak is yours, you will find out just how horrible he really is!" Petunia snarled at Severus.

"Really?" Severus said coolly, "the only freak I see is you Petunia, still holding on to childhood jealously are we? Still upset that Dumbledore would not let you go to Hogwarts? You find great joy in cowing your long suffering husband and using Harry as your personal slave? You will never again harm Harry, he is mine now you shrew!"

"How dare you!" Petunia said slapping Severus so hard she left a handprint on his cheek. "get the hell out of my house!"

"Gladly," Severus said turning to Vernon, good day Mr. Dursley."

He walked out of the house and down the street and ducked into an alley and Apparated back to Hogwarts. Petunia had not changed and he actually did feel a bit sorry for Vernon. He had married a shrew that was for sure and it seemed she ruled the roost not he. He went back to see Harry and found the boy asleep with a large shaggy dog curled at his feet. The dog woke for a moment, looked up at him with gray eyes, yawned and went back to sleep, oh yes Severus's summer was about to get that much more trying with Sirius Black around. Though he was so looking forward to taking care of Harry.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Two Days Later:

Harry was enjoying the sunshine with Padfoot who was laying at his feet chewing on a stick that he had been fetching until he wore himself out. He was a handsome animal even though he was still so thin and Harry, now and again fed him bits of meat as he studied. Neville was seated on a broom a few inches off the ground, this was to help him gain better balance as he sat "side saddle" a more difficult way to balance. Hermione was seated with her back against a tree and was reading like Harry and Neville when Padfoot growled and stood getting all three to draw their wands as Dudley strode down to where they sat looking as arrogant and (to Harry) hateful as ever.

"So I heard you will not be living with my parents Potter." Dudley said.

"No, thank Merlin." Harry said standing up, he had grown a bit but was still much shorter than Dudley, and still thinner, Dudley was fast becoming a mass of muscle with very little fat on his bones, "I am glad not to have to live with the likes of you or your family."

"Oh because I am muggleborn, you going dark, I knew it!" Dudley taunted.

"The only one I see going dark is you , Dursley." Hermione said getting up, "the only reason Harry cannot stand you is because you are a bully, a cruel death eater bully."

"Shut up beaver!" Dudley shot at her, but to his disappointment all she did was roll her eyes at his insult, "try brushing your hair instead of sticking your finger in a light socket."

"Enough Dursley." Harry said coldly, "you don't get to insult me or my friends. You want the truth so here it is, you are a freak, you treated me like dirt growing up, you and your family are the darkest people I have ever had to be around aside from Voldemort. You would make great pals with Hitler, I am sure you would enjoy forcing Jews to burn other Jews in the concentration camps. You are nothing to me, you are evil and will end up in prison or worse, I want nothing to do with you, or have you around me ever again. If you try to speak to me again I will curse you, you harm one of my friends it will come back on you tenfold. Stay away from me and never talk to me again you scum."

"I will back up Harry." Neville said, "you stay away from him and his friends, dark lord Dursley."

Harry walked off with Neville and Hermione following him, Padfoot just shook his shagging head at Dudley and followed Harry. Dudley was so stunned he had no comeback, he had nothing to say, he had taunted Harry as evil as he was just another extension of "Harry hunting" for him. He realized that Harry was right, he was evil, and that he really was the freak not Harry. Harry could have beat him up, he could have had his friends do the same but he had used words to hurt him and they had really hurt. Still he would not let anyone know they had and so he just glared at Harry and stormed back to the Slytherin dungeons not aware he was closely watched as he did so.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So there is that, love how I brought Eileen into this? Well she is going to take care of Harry along with Sirius, oh and there will be rules, mostly to keep Sirius in line. The line Harry used against Dudley about the Jews is accurate, the Nazis would not "contaminate" their hands with the Jewish dead and so made the Jews themselves do most of the dirty work in the concentration camps, thus reaching an all new low for any human to reach. Anyway Harry finally was able to tell Dudley just what he thought about him. Harsh? Yes but he had every right to say what he did, better than stooping to what Dudley does and hex and beat him up._

_Anyway please review!_


	8. Chapter 8: At Raven Cottage

Chapter Eight: At Raven Cottage:

Raven Cove: July 1994:

Raven Cove was a small hamlet of ten homes, all magical, this was where not only the Prince family had lived for so long but the Greengrass, Flint, Bole, Bulstrode, Harper, Brocklehurst, Fawcett, Edgecombe, Bones and Wespurt families. The hamlet was on the edge of a small lake against a backdrop of charming hills. Raven cottage was at the end of the single lane that marched past the well tended and good sized cottages of the families here. It was the largest, with three stories and a wide veranda that ran around the large brownstone home. Like all the houses here it was tiled in gray slate and there were several trees in front of the house. There was a pop and three people appeared, three were adults and one was a teen that collapsed and lay still on the ground for a moment. Severus walked up to look down at Harry who was trying to get over his first time Apparating.

"Why did you not warn me?" Harry asked looking up at Severus.

"I did, I said I was taking you by slide-along Apparation." Severus said helping him up and giving him a stomach soother potion, "you have read up on it I presume?"

"Of course, I did not realize it would make you feel like you were eating your insides sir." Harry grumbled.

"Wait until you get to do that on your own." Sirius said grinning, "it's wicked fun to pop in on anyone you want."

"Well you will not get to do that here." Severus said, "the wards do not allow that but for one place on the property."

"Well that is no fun." Sirius grumbled, "we Blacks could Apparated all over our manor, then again that meant my dear mother… Well this is a good idea."

"Let's go inside, my mother is already here and will have had the house elves put out lunch." Severus said.

They walked up to the house, Harry was impressed by it, the path to the house was flanked by hedges that were shaped like animals all along the flagstone path. The wood trim on the house was done in bright cheerful colors and over the front of the house a sign in black with a black raven in the center proclaimed this was Raven cottage. They walked through the front door into comfortable entry with the L shaped stairs that led up to the floors above. Waiting to greet them was Eileen and she looked much more relaxed and happy here. She gave Severus a hug, then Harry and shook Sirius's hand taking in all three wizards. Mostly she was looking at Harry and Sirius and frowned slightly and shook her head.

"You too are much too thin." Eileen said, "come lunch is ready you need to eat, as do you Severus, I think you lost a pound or two you cannot afford to."

"I eat well mother, you know that." Severus said, "the way you have Tinkie always plying me with food."

"Well you did inherit my metabolism, and you are always on the go, you need a lot of food." Eileen replied. "I can tell when you have not eaten as much as you need."

Harry dared not smile at this, Eileen was different when she was not in her Irma Pince personality, well that was until she got around _her_ books. Books were her weakness and in fact she had helped restore and mend all the books in the Hogwarts library. It was her domain and woe the student who dared mistreat one of her books. Harry who had been in awe by the entry hall with the gilded molding and carved wooden banister was impressed even more by this room. A large fireplace with carved mantel, carved wainscoting and crown molding in white went well with the dark floors and furniture, red walls and red curtains at the windows.

Lunch was a quiet but comforting affair, there was a rich beef stew, warm fresh bread, Coke and Pumpkin juice to choose from, and for dessert Harry's favorite Treacle tart with fresh whipped cream. After lunch Harry and Sirius were taken on a tour of the house, on the ground floor there was the parlor across from the family room, the potions lab at the back and across from the kitchen, and a powder room. Severus was saving what was down the hall between the parlor and potions lab for later Harry could tell. Upstairs on the second level were the master suite, two more bedrooms that shared a bath and on the last floor four more bedrooms. Harry saw that he was to have his room next to Sirius and he was glad for that. He walked into his room and looked around his jaw nearly an the floor.

"Now you know why I asked those questions for you Harry." Severus said as the teen took in the room.

"Sir, uncle Severus, this, this is brilliant, I love it!" Harry said giving him a hug.

"You should see what was done with mine, after you get settled in Harry." Sirius said, "your mum is brilliant Severus."

"Yes, she is." Severus agreed.

Harry's room was done just as he wanted, the walls were a light olive color with dark faux stone wainscoting on the lower half, the floor was the same dark oak as most of the house. The curtains around the windows were a dark maroon with dark olive tiebacks. Over the fireplace was a portrait of his parents, the bed had the same dark maroon curtains as around the windows and the dark maroon bedspread had a large black dragon on it in mid flight. A desk stood near the window and a rag rug in maroon, olive and midnight blue. Harry gave Severus a hug as he had helped in getting his room ready. Sirius was pleasantly surprised his room was done all Gryffindor colors, he knew Severus would not have done this but that Eileen would have had a hand in this.

"There is more Harry." Severus said.

"Really?" Harry said, "besides the Quidditch pitch for flying?"

"Oh yes, come, you Black can come as long as you promise not to chew anything." Severus said silkily.

"See this is why I don't like you Snape." Sirius growled, "you are always so mean to me."

"You started it Black." Severus said.

Harry forced himself to keep a straight face, he knew to laugh would get both men hexing him and he really had a healthy urge to stay in one piece. So he followed his real uncle down the stairs to the first floor and through the hallway between the parlor and potions lab. Severus opened a door and ushered Harry through, the teen walked through and into the large space and looked around in awe, in fact the teen could not speak he was amazed at what he had found. He was in heaven, a Quidditch pitch outside and now this glorious room here, he smiled as he looked around and Severus realized Harry was in love, with this room.

The room was twenty four feet by twenty four feet square, two levels high with a clear story above that, that allowed light in. On one wall was the fireplace flanked by tall windows but the rest of the space along the walls and the balconies running above was lined floor to ceiling with well carried for, beautiful hardbound books. A spiral stair led up to the upper level of books and there were comfortable chairs and a couch or two scattered about the space. Over the fireplace was a raven in full flight carved and painted so it looked as if it were really flying into the room. Harry walked over to the books and brushed his fingers over them reverently and carefully.

"This is the best house ever." Harry said, "my own room done as I like it, a Quidditch pitch and, and this lovely library."

"Yes my family, on my mother's side has always had an extensive library." Severus said, "only the best magical books and muggle are here. Purebloods may claim never to have anything to do with muggles but they lie."

"Yes, Draco plays piano, he recruited me in some four hand pieces." Harry replied. "I am not nearly as good, I wonder if I could invite Hermione over."

"Of course, I see how well she treats the books at Hogwarts." Eileen said walking into the room, "I had a time getting that library fixed up, and still students cannot treat the books right, even with a charm on them to gently remind them to do so."

"The books are my mother's other children." Severus said seriously, "I'd be very careful with them."

Eileen gave her son a fierce glare that scared the stern potions master and Harry. Sirius just did what he did when he was scared and not in battle, he turned into Padfoot with a pop. Harry turned seeing his godfather now a large shaggy dog and though he was used to seeing him like that he got a rather evil glint in his eyes. He conjured up a large pink bow and put it on his godfather. Before Severus could say or do anything Sirius was back to human form chasing his godson out of the house to the front lawn where a fierce prank battle went under way. Severus walked out to make sure it did not get out of hand and saw that far from cursing each other the two were animating rocks and such to cats, dogs and the like, in all colors of the rainbow and Harry was actually laughing and having fun.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Azkaban: July 1994:

Azkaban island was a small rocky island just of the north most coast of Scotland, it was three miles long and one wide and at the center dominated by the large black stone fortress that made up the only building on the island. The outer walls hid the prison complex inside, a complex of three large buildings, the main prison building split into two wings, one for wizards the other for witches, the guards quarters and what was called the armory but what the in ages past had been used for torture. All the cells were above ground and all had windows with glass, a stone "shelf" at the back of the cell and a toilet and sink block made of stone and steel, the front of each cell was made of bars. Torches lit the prison and it was a far better place than it had been when Dementors ran the place, still most of the prisoners were so far gone that nothing could be done for them.

Where Dementors once glided goblins now walked past cell after cell, checking on the prisoners making sure they were all there. They nodded to the tall handsome Auror that walked by, he had short neatly kept black hair, a neatly trimmed small mustache, violet eyes and was clad in full Scottish garb complete with kilt, with heavy buckled dragon skin boots. This was Walden MacNair, he looked very charming and was, but beneath his model good looks, cut body and gentle demeanor lurked the heart of a monster. Soon enough if the rumors were true his master was coming back and he was going to be able to kill more than just animals.

"They seem to all be resting nicely." MacNair said politely to the goblins, he was wise enough to not upset them though they had taken away his sport of torture, though he never did torture his fellow death eaters, he had helped them as much as he could under the Dementors and still did, "death eater scum should all die."

"We agree, you should be up front to watch." A goblin said with a veiled threat knowing what MacNair was but not able to prove it, "you would enjoy it would you not human?"

"They would deserve what they got." MacNair replied tucking his wand in his belt. "Good day to ye."

MacNair walked from the corridor and out of the prison, his first part of his task done, he saw Umbridge walk from the women's side of the prison and bowed to her slightly as she was his boss. They had to keep their cover, as everything could fall apart if this did not work, well it would for MacNair. Umbridge had been easy to convince that they were going to kill the worst of the worst death eaters and he would Obliviate her once they got to the mainland. MacNair very nearly had a heart attack as he saw the very familiar figure walking up to the prison. MacNair got a glimpse of the Alastor "mad eyed" Moody's scarred face and magical blue eye under the hood of his cloak and he nearly took a step back.

"On yer rounds here boy?" Moody growled at MacNair.

"Just making sure the prisoners are all secure sir." MacNair replied, "death eaters all safely tucked away."

"Really, funny some seem to still be free and able to move about." Moody replied scratching his chin.

"Oh Black was not a death eater, good to know, think he might but upset with me for thinking he was?" MacNair said turning the conversation.

"I would keep my nose clean, goblins do not like it when their charges are damaged." Moody growled out hating MacNair's habits that were, for the time being still legal. "Good day MacNair."

MacNair hurried to the boats with Umbridge and got in one settling in for the ride back to the mainland. The black robed hooded figure that rowed the boat was gloomy and they did not speak on their way back. Once they got to the dock and walked from the gloomy shore and out of sight MacNair altered Umbridge's memory so that she did not remember giving anything to certain prisoners and only remembered seeing Moody and MacNair. MacNair headed back to the ministry, the first part of his plan was done. It was later that day that the bodies of Bellatrix Lestrange, Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange were found apparently dead in their cells.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Raven Cottage July 1994:

Hermione stepped from the floo to find Harry looking far more excited than she had ever seen him. She was clad in pretty pink robes and had a pink bow at the end of her hair which was in a plait. She saw Sirius who was looking a bit healthier and he was clad in robes of maroon with olive trim and leather in olive buttoning his robes. Harry was clad in robes of moss green with navy buttons and trim that went well with his eyes. He had new glasses too, they were silver round wired glasses and looked very good on him. His father it seemed favored more square glasses and these small round went well on Harry. Eileen came up clad in robes of dark green and smiled warmly at Hermione, Hermione smiled back and took her hand. She was so used to seeing Eileen in the library guarding her books.

"I am glad you could come." Harry said, "there is so much to show you! Gran wants to have tea in the library."

"I know how you like books dear." Eileen said, "you have always been good to those at Hogwarts, in fact I got back a few in better shape than I lent them to you."

"Well I feel books need to be treated with respect." Hermione said.

"Come, let's go see the library." Severus said, "Black promised not to chew on any books."

"I don't like you Snape." Sirius growled, "you just have to keep being rude."

"Not rude truthful." Severus snapped back.

"Let's go to the library." Eileen said firmly.

They headed to the library and Harry watched as Hermione had the same reaction he had when he first saw the room. She looked over the vast tomes of the very best that could be offered in magical and muggle books. A table was set with a fabulous tea and they all sat down to eat. There little sandwiches of ham and cucumber and chicken salad, there was fruit and cream and a large chocolate sponge cake to round off the tea. Hermione was enjoying the tea when she saw a house elf clad in belted tunic, breeches, hose, shoes and cap all in brown. He looked up at Harry with large green eyes and Hermione knew at once who this was.

"Harry is that Dobby?" Hermione asked.

"Yes this is, he is now part of my family." Harry replied, "Persian told me that house elves live to serve and so I allow Dobby to serve, he is wearing a uniform not clothes."

"House elves do not wear clothes?" Hermione said looking shocked.

"It is part of our servitude, it would not be right." Dobby replied, "we love to work and serve!"

"It's true," Severus said, "though many homes here in England do not treat them as they should be, we here do, the Snape elves wear uniforms and are not allowed to punish themselves, and they must rest when they are tired."

"They are just house elves." Sirius said.

"What how could you they…"

"You must forgive him, his upbringing was not the best, I am doing my best to educate them that all sapiens deserve respect." Eileen said before Hermione could really get going.

"You know Hermione if you want Dobby can teach you about house elf culture and what house elves like to do and all."

"That would be wonderful!" Hermione said turning to a beaming Dobby.

Harry grinned as Hermione had a new project, she was one for equality and this could help her find a place in the magical world. With the scandals in the ministry and the destruction of the Dementors the magical world was going to be forced to change and for the better. Hermione and those like her would help other sapient beings gain equal rights and she would start with the house elves. Harry was very grateful he had a friend in her and that she had been there for him from nearly the very beginning of his schooling at Hogwarts.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Raven Cottage July 31 1994:

Harry surveyed the party for him a warm feeling deep inside. He had been living here at Raven cottage with his true family for a month now and he realized he really was home. His friends came to visit him over the month, mostly it was Neville and Hermione, but Ginny, Ron and of course Fred and George who seemed to love to be here and what was more spent a lot of time with Severus and Slughorn in the potions lab. It seemed Fred and George were busy inventing and were quite brilliant in their own right.

Eileen had worked hard to get this party for her grandson as Harry was her only grandson for the time being. She loved to spoil him and he found he liked it, she was such a wonderful grandmother to him. In fact she was making up for lost time and Severus would grumble about "giving Harry a swelled head" and actually help his mother when he thought Harry was not looking. Harry smirked as Draco came up clad in robes of stormy gray that matched his eyes, he knew how to keep up the pureblood act but Harry knew how much Draco did like to learn and really was not as deeply interested in politics as his father.

"Good party Potter." Draco said, "you got lucky I suppose."

"I know, uncle Severus is really a great man to take me in." Harry said, "do you know if he had known all those years ago I was his nephew he would have moved heaven and earth to take me in."

"He is a great wizard." Draco said.

"Yes he is." Harry said grinning as Neville and Hermione came up, "hey guys, good to see you!"

"And you Harry, though I saw you yesterday too." Neville said, "happy birthday."

"Same to you, grandmother was amazing to do this for us." Harry said, "this is the best birthday ever!"

"I agree." Neville said, "your gran is amazing and kind to do this for me as well."

"It was no trouble at all." Eileen said walking up, "you both deserve this you know, hello Draco good to see you here today."

"It is an honor to be here lady Snape." Draco said taking the hand offered and kissing it lightly, "you are very gracious."

"Thank you, ah I see your mother and father were able to come." Eileen said shooting Harry a warning look. "How pleasant, I so adore talking with your mother."

Harry turned to see Lucius Malfoy with Narcissa walking towards them, at the same time that Arthur and Molly Weasley were. Arthur and Molly were in new robes, it had been only a month or so since the trial of Pettigrew and the exposure of the ministry, yet Arthur had got a raise and was now head of the new Muggle Relations office which oversaw all dealings with muggles. Harry could not take his eyes off of Narcissa for a moment, she was lovely with her honey blond hair piled on her head, tall and thin clad in dark green robes. He could tell she was definitely related to Sirius, she had the same gray eyes and carried herself much the same way. It was at this moment that Sirius came up, clad in robes of maroon trimmed in gold with gold buttons.

"Narcissa good to see you." Sirius said bowing to her and kissing her offered hand lightly, "Lucius, you look well."

"Sirius, you are looking in better health." Lucius said, "it was simply horrible what happened to you."

"Yes, well I have Harry here to help me get better." Sirius said putting a hand on Harry's shoulder, "Arthur, Molly wonderful to see you!"

"Glad to see you Sirius." Molly said, "you look well."

"Thank you Molly, Arthur how is your work going?" Sirius asked.

"Well I am still organizing the new office, there is so much that has to be done." Arthur replied.

"Still working with Muggles are we?" Lucius said coldly, "how…"

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley is doing all he can to protect our world." Harry said getting the adults to focus on him, "by protecting the muggles and making sure we do not harm them it keeps our world secure and secret. Besides not all muggles are evil."

"They burned us at the stake for what we are." Lucius said, "they have weapons that can kill us all now."

"It is true that muggles have done great evil." Hermione said walking up, "but most of the people burned at the stake were not witches and wizards but women, innocent women whose only crime was being a woman. In fact I see the witch hunts of the time as nothing more than a war on women. Still I understand this world must be kept secret, I am not your enemy, I will not expose this world."

"What of your parents?" Lucius asked, "you may not but what of them?"

"They took the secrecy oath." Arthur said, "they cannot tell anyone and they were glad to take it. One thing the Americans did right was coming up with that."

"I see, well you have some very valid points." Lucius said, "but forgive me but I cannot ever trust a muggle, you may see someone who can be reasoned with, but I see a threat to our world and will do what I must to protect our world. Though I will admit that I was very wrong in some things I did to achieve those ends."

"I am glad to hear that Lucius, though my daughter still seems a bit upset with you." Arthur said smiling slightly.

"I was wondering why you were not hexing Lucy." Sirius said to Arthur, "you let Ginny use magic on him, she was merciful it seems, how long was he in St Mungos?"

"A month, peaceful month it was for me as well." Narcissa said, "though I did get bored in the end."

Harry did his best not to laugh at the look on Lucius's face, it was priceless but he deserved what he got and Harry was surprised that Ginny let him live. It was for that reason he did not annoy the head of the Malfoy family and stood back and watched as Hermione held her own against him. He was so proud to have her as a friend and was glad he had given her a chance so many years ago, along with Neville, his other best friend. He saw Slughorn walking through the party and he smiled, this man had helped him out more than any other and he was so glad he had done so much for him, where would he be without the help of this wonderful man?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So there is the start of Harry's new life with his family. Hermione is one of Harry's best friends, the other is Neville, I changed up the "golden trio" Ron is a good friend but not, as of yet a best friend of Harry's. As Draco never became Harry's enemy on the first train ride he is a friend of Harry's as well. He visits Raven cottage a lot because I have chosen to have Severus as his godfather. Oh and there is a reason MacNair did what he did, it will all come out later!_

_So do review, you know you want to!_


	9. Chapter 9: How Trust Was Gained

Chapter 9: Truths Revealed:

Raven Cottage July 1994:

Harry lay on a raft in the lake dozing in the warm summer sun. Sirius could not resist such a tempting sight as a peacefully relaxing godson and so he swam out quietly and turned the raft over with the teen on it. He was not fast enough to get away from a now very awake and very upset teen boy who had him by the legs and ducked him so fast he came up gasping and sputtering. Harry was standing up glaring at him his green eyes glowing wand out before Sirius realized the boy was armed! He reached for his wand, and his eyes went wide in shock as he remembered where said wand was. It was safe and sound on the shore next to Remus who was reading a book.

"Ah Moony a bit of help here?" Sirius asked.

"You really should always have your wand on you." Harry said, "I do, nice little wand holster does wonders for me, now what to do with you."

"No Harry it was a joke clearly you can see that?" Sirius said trying for a winning grin.

"Yes, very funny, so is this." Harry said and with a flick of his wand turned Sirius's hair green, "much better!"

It was at this time Slughorn and Eileen came out of the house to watch a fine prank war taking place on the lawn. Sirius now had his wand and was taking on his godson who proved to be a very powerful wizard in his own right. Remus had calmly put up a shield charm so he could keep reading, however Sirius and Harry had other ideas. They stopped pranking each other and went after Remus who was not amused and a real free-for-all began. Of course Severus Apparated just outside the wards and walked up the path just in time to get hit with a spell that turned his hair a bright neon pink. He snarled and stunned Remus and Sirius quickly, removed the spell off him and turned to face Harry with a glare. Harry just grinned at him but that grin faded as he turned to face Eileen, he gulped and backed up and gave her his best puppy dog look.

"They started it grandmother!" Harry said, "I was resting and well Sirius dumped me in the lake!"

"Why did you attack Remus?" Eileen asked, "he was just reading."

"Um that was Sirius?" Harry said smiling sweetly.

"Wake them up, it's nearly lunchtime."Eileen said to Severus, "honestly you lot will never grow up!"

" I have mother, I could have done far worse." Severus retorted.

She glared at him and Severus tried the same look that Harry gave her that got her to melt. She was one of a few this rarely worked on and so he quickly made his way into the house. Half an hour later, dressed in tee shirts and jeans Harry was seated at the table with everyone else, Sirius was clad in a red button up shirt and jeans. Lunch was a simple affair of soup and sandwiches. After lunch Eileen sent Sirius and Remus off as Sirius had to formally take over as head of his family and start the daunting process of cleaning up the large townhouse he had grown up in, Harry had lent Dobby and Winky (he had been moved by the depressed little elf and brought her into his family along with Dobby) to Sirius to help clean up the manor and help Kreacher heal from his long time being isolated with a mad portrait and a terrible secret.

While this was going on Slughorn had Severus come into the parlor where Harry was at, Severus had not wanted to tell Harry the who sorted truth as to what he had done so long ago. He was sure Harry would hate him for what he had done, yet Slughorn knew Harry very well and knew he would not, Harry might be a hard cold young man to most of the world but not to family and he would hear Severus out. Eileen knew already and knew Severus needed to speak to Harry, his parents had listened to him and accepted his warnings and help and she knew their son would too. Harry sat by the window near Slughorn who was there to help him in any way possible. This was about to become hard for everyone concerned he knew that but it would in the end make Severus feel freer and have a fully honest relationship with his nephew.

"What is going on?" Harry asked seeing how serious everyone looked.

"I can't do this." Severus said.

"You can, he must know." Slughorn replied.

"You know why the dark lord killed your parents Harry?" Severus asked.

"Something about a prophecy, that I have to kill him, that is why he came after me." Harry said, "you heard it and told him?"

"Yes, I am so very, very sorry." Severus said trying to keep his composure.

"You were a death eater, what did he promise you, knowledge, wealth power?" Harry asked, he really was good at reading people a skill learned from his _dear_ aunt as learning her moods kept him mostly in one piece and mostly unharmed.

"Knowledge, and power but I thought he was going to help our world, but everything he touches turns to ash, I learned that too late, and now, I am so sorry if you wish never to see me again…"

"What did you do after you learned he was going to come after my family?" Harry asked.

"I went to warn your parents, I offered no resistance if they wanted me dead, they told me to go to Dumbledore as well." Severus replied.

"You tried to stop that madman, it's his fault not yours." Harry said, then added as he realized something "Neville fits the prophecy as well."

"Yes, but I knew the dark lord would not go after him, deep down I knew the moment he promised to spare your mother's life he would not stop until she was dead along with you and your father."

"What a betraying bastard Voldemort is." Harry muttered. "I forgive you and it was really brave of you to turn away from him, not many would be honorable enough to do so."

Severus looked at Harry and saw respect and understanding in the teen's eyes. His parents, yes even James had been understanding, and so was their son, to was true James had grown up and changed.. James had listened to him and believed him and maybe that was why he hated James so much, he had turned out to be the better man, to have gone away from his bullying ways. He had seen how good he had treated Lily and how kind he had become too. Gone was the bullying git he was in school and in his place was a man that Severus could respect and now before him was the son of two great and noble people. Severus knew what had to be done, and he hoped that Harry understood this.

"Horace if you will bind us please." Severus said getting up, "Harry take my hand."

"Sir?" Harry asked.

"Please just do as he asks." Eileen said.

"Right okay." Harry replied not daring to disobey his grandmother.

"Severus Tobias Snape do you promise to do all you can to keep Harry James Potter safe?" Slughorn asked tapping his hand on the bound hands.

"I promise." Severus said a band of light binding Severus and Harry.

"Do you promise to always tell him the truth and protect him from those who mean him harm?" Slughorn said adding a band of light around the hands.

"I will."

"And if you must in the end give your life for his?"

"I will." Severus said the bands of light sinking into the two bound, "I swear it."

"Good, Harry Severus loves you and this is why he required this."Slughorn said, "This is another way to show full loyalty to you for him."

"He did not have to do that, I trust him as it is." Harry said, "I know he will not harm me."

Harry hugged Severus who did something he rarely ever did, he broke down in sobs. Harry too was crying as both had lost so much when Voldemort went after James and Lily. Here in private both could mourn their loses and though both were made of stone in many ways on the outside they were family and needed each other at this time. Finally they calmed down and though they would rarely speak of this they had something more in common here, something that helped forge them together as family.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Northern England: August 1994:

Harry landed with a thud in a field and he stood and brushed the dirt off his jeans. He looked around and saw he was in a wild barren valley between craggy peaks. There were rows and rows of tents but unlike any tents he had ever seen. Many had tried to blend in and be as muggle like as possible but had slipped up with a chimney here or a weather vane there. It was good they were so far from any Muggle eyes as there was a lot of magic here. There was a purple fire with several African wizards in turbans and silk robes talking solemnly around it and several American witches were playing Gob stones outside their tent. The tents all as far as Harry could tell had been Army issue but the wizards and witches here loved being able to show off. With very magical additions added onto many of them.

Once he had found his tent, Harry went with Neville Ron and Remus to get water with Padfoot running around them barking and yipping in joy. He was very happy to be out among so many people even if it was only in doggy form. He sniffed the grass, let a few children pet him and even romped with a few other dogs before coming back to Remus whining and yipping in joy. He looked so happy and his happiness was contagious getting Remus to laugh and Harry to grinning widely.

"He is having fun, it's been a long time for him." Remus said picking up a stick and pretending to throw it causing Padfoot to run thinking Remus had thrown the stick. "That never grows old."

"What if he comes back with a stick?" Neville asked.

"He is not that bright, if it does not have my scent on it he will not bring it." Remus said. "He really is thick though to think I threw it."

"Well he is in doggy form." Harry said quietly.

"Well there is not much different in brains between his human and dog brain." Remus said as Padfoot came up wagging his tail a puzzled look on his doggy face.

"That is not very nice." Ron said looking down at the happy dog. "Poor Padfoot."

Harry laughed and got into line at the water spigot. Padfoot got around Remus and was jumping on him to get the stick. He knocked Remus over and got his jaws on the stick and a game of tug of war began, a game Remus lost. Padfoot strutted off head high stick in mouth looking very pleased with himself. The children filled their pans with water and those in line were clearly entertained by the shabby wizard and his equally shaggy dog. Harry headed back to camp with Remus holding onto one end of a stick Padfoot on the other growling and grumbling trying to get it away from him.

Later that evening the gong sounded that let them know the game was going to start. They headed to the stands and to the very top where the best seats were and took a seat. Harry looked around the large stadium that was set up much like most muggle ones with rows and rows of seats, a large oval for the pitch. The only things different were the three large hoops at each end of the stands and the magical board in place of a electric one like the muggles would use.

He saw three wizards come into the top box. One was tall stocky and clearly a man who had once been in good shape but now had gone to seed. He had on Wimbledon Wasps robes and Ron told him this was Ludo Bagman head of the Gaming office. Then next man was just a tiny bit shorter, darker and jabbering away in Bulgarian. Next to him speak rapidly in the same language was a short wiry man with hair more gray than red. He was clad in muggle attire and Harry saw that he had a metal left hand. He was talking with Percy who had offered him some tea and this of course was the new head of the international magical co-operation, Derek Yarrow.

"It's a good thing I brushed up on my Bulgarian, well between that, lots of German and a bit of French we are getting along splendidly." Yarrow said.

"Care to put a wager on the game?" Bagman asked and only Fred and George took him up on this.

"Percy would you come with me, I could use your help." Yarrow said.

"Of course Mr. Yarrow." Percy said.

He left with them and Harry saw that the fire was going and breakfast was cooking. Once they ate they rested until the evening. A long low gong sounded and they headed for the stadium that was reached by three tunnels. It was underground as it was far easier to hide it that way and Harry was amazed at the size of it. It was large enough for over one hundred thousand people and it glowed with its own light. To put this above ground would take too much work and this way they could use it year after year as needed. To put down the full game would take pages and pages, a detailed play-by-play is in the archives. All one needs to know is that the Bulgarian seeker, a young man by the name of Viktor Krum caught the snitch but Ireland won 170-160. There was no disturbance at the end of the game and Harry for one was glad for that, he was now looking forward to heading back to school and the excitement of the new year.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So yea a bit of drama here, Harry learning the truth and everyone here at least being very honest with him. He does know the prophecy and all and he is more prepared for Voldemort coming back. Severus pledging to him will help Harry far more than much of anything else. Harry is fast gaining followers and strength in his magic. Won't the dark dork be surprised?_

So anyway do please review!


	10. Chapter 10: The Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 10: The Triwizard Tournament:

Hogwarts Express: September 1, 1994:

Harry was seated happily with his closest friends, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Ron Weasley. Fred and George were off doing who knew what and Harry was glad they had not come to prank him. When those two found out who Sirius and Remus were and found out he was the son of Prongs (with the nickname Bambi from his own mother) Harry had mentally shuttered to think of the mayhem they were going to unleash. Well much more than normal that is for them. He had the paper and had read it and was not happy, he decided to allow Crookshanks to shred it and the cat happily was doing just that on the floor of the carriage. Harry was in the middle of a chess game when Draco stopped by.

"See the paper Potter?" Draco said from the door way of the compartment Harry was in with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville getting him to look up from his book, "thought you might want a heads up."

"Yea I saw it." Harry replied holding up his own copy, "not much I can do about it, though it seems that the Dementors I was not able to get rid of can be bribed."

"You still want goblins guarding Azkaban?" Draco asked leaning against the doorframe to look at Harry keenly. "Why?"

"It was Hermione's idea, ask her." Harry said irritated that Draco still did not see Hermione for the smart talented witch that she was.

"Goblins guard our wealth and the last time someone broke in nothing was stolen, and there is a missing wizard around the date of the break in." Hermione said, "probably rotting nicely in the vault they tried to steal from. If they can guard our wealth as good as they do why not prisoners and you know that they would have the prisoners work not just left to rot?"

"I could see your point, if they were not goblins." Draco replied.

"And demons are better to guard the prisoners?" Neville asked. "Besides if Harry ever gets near Azkaban where the last few are holed up you know that they will flee."

"Good point." Ginny said, "oh and did your father like the gift I sent him?"

"That was you?" Draco smirked, "I should be upset with you but I can't, not after what mother told me he did. I would like to apologize for him."

Draco might have been a bigoted pureblood but even he had been horrified by what his father had done. His mother had told him what his father had done after a quiet visit with three hooded figures came to speak to her. Now Draco was not wanting much to do with his father, even if he did not know what the diary could do he could have caused his son to be killed! Draco was not happy with how reckless his own father was and now with the escape of Wormtail and Bellatrix Lestrange in what had been touted the battle of Azkaban in which several prisoners freed of the constant draining of the Dementors had fought to escape. Most had died, both Lestrange brothers, Barty Crouch Jr the senior Avery too. However there were two on the loose and Harry knew exactly what they were up to and it did not make him happy at all.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: October 31, 1994:

Harry sat with his friends at the Gryffindor table watching as the feast wound down and the three schools got ready to see who's name would come out of the cup. He looked over at the Beauxbaton students clad in layers of warm clothing under custom woolen robes in light blue (a far cry from their usual robes of silk he had learned) at the Ravenclaw table. Seated with the Slytherin's were the representatives from Durmstrang in their blood red robes with Victor Krum in the thick of them. Harry had enjoyed the feast and was looking forward to whoever was the champion, he was glad there was an age line as he would not have to be in the tournament at all.

"So still sure you don't want to be in the tournament Harry?" Fred asked.

"Yes, and you gentlemen looked lovely with your beards." Harry said showing a picture of the two boys with long white beards, "age lines cannot be fooled."

"You would be splendid though." George said.

"No I would get killed, Merlin there is a reason only adult wizards and witches are allowed to enter." Harry said, "I don't even have my OWLs!"

"Good point Neville said, "well I do hope we get a good champion."

"We will." Ginny said from where she sat.

Soon enough the feast ended and the goblet was brought forth. Harry sat and watched as the first name came out of the goblet. It was for Beauxbatons and for a pretty girl with long flowing locks of blond hair, lightly tanned skin and clear blue eyes. This was Fleur Delacur, a part Veela and a very powerful witch in her own right. Next Durmstrang was up and Victor Krum was chosen, he was an average height boy with broad shoulders a slight duck like walk, short brown hair and heavy features that are common among the Slavic peoples. He went through the same door that Fleur had. Next was Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff, he was a handsome youth with short brown hair, light tanned skin brown eyes and a good natured smile. He went through the door and Harry sat back and relaxed, that is until the goblet went dark again and spat out a fourth name.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore said.

"No, I did not, I could not have, none of you have let me out of your sight all day!" Harry said to his equally stunned friends, "you know I did not do this!"

"Better go, your…."

"Finish that Ron and I finish you." Ginny said wand out to show she was not joking, "he could not have, someone wants him dead, you know this is no honor for him!"

"Go ahead Harry, I am sure they can straighten this out." Neville replied.

Harry got up and walked to the other door rage quickly overcoming any other feelings. By the time he got into the other room he was having a hard time controlling his anger. Severus was there and he looked shocked, by the look on Harry's face he could tell what had happened. Dumbledore came in and Harry did his level best to remain calm as the adults talked around him. No-one was getting near him as the air crackled around him to show just how mad he was at this time. He wanted to know who would dare put his name in the goblet and when Karkaroff demanded a recount he turned on the former death eater (yes Harry knew all about his past allegiances, he had done a lot of studying to learn about this new world he was now a part of) and glared at him.

"How dare you death eater blame me for this." Harry snarled his eyes glowing in rage getting everyone to step back from him, "I would never have put my name in, I could not have. I was with my friends all day, but you, you could have put my name in."

"You dare speak to me that way boy?" Karkaroff said coldly, "maybe you dislike my school no?"

"I don't dislike Durmstrang, I think it is a great school but you, you I do not like death eater." Harry snarled coldly.

"Harry please calm down." Severus said, "or I will give you detention."

"Fine, but I am not competing, I did not enter willingly." Harry said.

"Unfortunately the goblet would only have accepted the form signed." Yarrow said, "someone could have slipped it to you to sign."

"Well that leaves…" Harry turned to Alastor Moody and before the man could respond Harry had blasted him with wand-less magic to the wall.

"Detention Potter for attacking a professor!" Severus shouted.

"Do professors usually need polyjuice?" Harry snarled tossing him the hip flask, "now I am going to get some answers!"

He was dimly aware of the shouts behind him but he concentrated on the man before him. He willed the man to his real form and the man cried out as he changed from the scarred miss-matched eye Moody with one leg to a tall man with straw colored hair and blue eyes. Harry had his hands around the throat of the man but only for a few seconds before he was drug off the death eater. It came as a shock to realize that Barty Crouch Jr had one more time managed to fake his own death. Harry was shoved to a chair by Severus who calmly forced a calming draught into him. He looked up at the other's gathered and raised an eyebrow, he could see that many were scared and rightly so, Harry was very powerful when he got angry and had to learn to control that temper.

"He inherited his mother's temper." Severus explained calmly, "I really don't think he wants to be in the tournament."

"I am sorry there is no way out for him." Yarrow said, "he has to compete."

"Cedric is the champion not me." Harry said, "if I have to do this I will, on one condition."

"No you cannot have Crouch's head to bowl with." Severus said.

"Pity, and I was looking forward to taking the headmaster up in a game or two." Harry replied.

"What do you want since it is clear you were forced into this?" Madam Maxine asked.

"The trace removed, and I get partial emancipation, or I will not do this." Harry said coldly.

"I can see that is done." Yarrow said, "in the meantime it's time to find where Moody is and what this piece of filth knows."

"You can't make me talk." Barty said.

"Oh I think we could." Severus said with a cold smile on his face.

"Let us have him."Fleur said, "I can teach him many painful things."

"I would like to show him a new level of pain." Victor said then turning to Karkaroff, "you are death eater, my father will be most displeased to learn this."

"I say we just let Harry have him." Cedric said, "I put my money on Harry."

"Hear that? All I have to do is find a nice dark dungeon and let them have you." Severus said, "or maybe just let Potter have you, he is his mother's son. She too could be quiet nasty when she needed to be, shall I let him show you?"

There was a look of real fear for a moment on Crouch's face, then he smirked and laughed. No-one understood why he laughed until there was a sound like glass breaking and Severus stepped back smelling bitter almonds. He saw Crouch start to foam at the mouth and in a few short seconds he was dead. Severus muttered a curse and turned to a somber room. It was clear Karkaroff was disgraced and who knew what he would do, but it was clear that Harry had the teens here on his side. There was one more here too that was on his side though he did not know it at that time. Rita Skeeter had seen how angry he had been when he had come into the room and the raw power he had behind him. She had been here as an invited reporter to see the champions and instead had seen one Harry Potter forced to compete. She saw his raw power and knew she had to get into the boy's good graces. With that resolve she realized she had to right a fair and balanced article that of course made the teen hero look good to get him on her side.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Wiltshire, Malfoy Manor: November 1994:

Lucius Malfoy made his way down to his dining room cane in hand clad in the best robes money could buy. He smiled when he saw his lovely wife seated at the table, her honey blond hair done up on her head clad in robes of lavender today. He took his seat and sipped his first cup of tea before he picked up the paper and began to read it, he frowned and realized that the dark mark coming back slowly on his arm, then this meant one thing, the dark lord was coming back. He sighed as he put the paper aside and started in on his breakfast. Narcissa picked up the paper and saw the first article and read it her expression getting stormy as she did. She would not be the first to read this article and not be happy at what had happened.

**Harry Potter Forced to Compete in the Triwizard Tournament**

**By Rita Skeeter**

_Last night the champions for the Triwizard tournament were selected, in a startling turn of events there will be four champions instead of three. The reason is due to the betrayal and evil that is the now late Barty Crouch Jr. In an act that can only be seen as evil he managed to enter Harry Potter into the tournament. What is more is the fact he managed to kidnap and torture one of our most valuable Aurors Alastor Moody. _

_I watched as the young lord restrained himself enough to only remove the charms of the polyjuice potion and nothing more of the imposter. Though he will compete one has to wonder how he feels about this, I for one would be honored to speak to this young man and hear his feelings on all this. _

_What I do know about the young Potter lord is he is quiet, hardworking and noble to the end. He did kill a basilisk in his second year and saved the eldest daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley from a terrible fate. He did this not for fame or glory but because it was right. I had to learn the tale from second hand sources as Harry did not wish to seek publicity. _

"So he will come back from this." Narcissa said looking over at Lucius. "You will go back?"

"I have no choice." Lucius said, "you know that."

"Draco will make his own choices." Narcissa replied, "even if it costs you your own life."

"Of course." Lucius said.

"We are honorable for the most part Lucius we Blacks. All but for Bellatrix and Sirius's parents, I will speak truthfully now, I was blinded years before but no more."

"You never did take the mark, I thought…"

"I allowed you to serve him yes, but this time you will do all you can to thwart him, he threatens our world. I do not like the muggle vermin but his attacking them nearly brought the muggles attention to our world. This must not happen do you understand?"

"So you will stand by Dumbledore then?" Lucius said getting angry.

"No, when Harry Potter makes his move then I will stand with him, Draco hopefully will be by my side." Narcissa said and with a flick of her wand had Lucius' cane. "I can kill you, you know this, do not test me. I will keep this world safe by any means necessary is that clear? What Ginerva Weasley did to you will pale in comparison to what I can and will do."

"I see." Lucius said moving a hand a fraction of an inch from his face, to his artificial eye now there because of the viper that had bit through the original sent by one very angry witch, "very well then, this will mean having to work with that old fool you know."

"For the time being yes, but know this it is Harry Potter who has the real power and in time we will serve him half blood though he may be he will fight for our world, our rights and our freedom." Narcissa replied.

"I see, very well I will pledge to Potter but only if he survives the dark lord coming back, then and only then will I pledge."

"Very well, that is all I can expect for now." Narcissa replied.

She gave him back his cane and finished her breakfast, rising she walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead before she walked out of the room. Lucius just realized how terrifying his wife, no witches could be. He felt his face, to the magical eye that was charmed to look and act exactly like the original. He would do well to tread lightly around witches and he had his priorities to sort out, one thing was for sure if Potter survived the dark lord coming back he was going have to change sides and really the more he thought about it the more he found he was quite alright with that.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So a lot going on here, yes Harry has a temper to be sure, now he did take care of most of the Dementors this is true however he did not get to the ones in Azkaban. Barty Crouch Jr is very slippery and his death is long overdue. I think Narcissa is very smart and could have done something just like this. She sees the writing on the wall as it were and will do anything to defend her family and her way of life._

_Oh and yea, Lucius got what he deserved, Ginny found out it was him who planted the diary and in a fit of rage sent him a "gift" how was she to know it would bite him as it did? Let's hope he does turn to the right side shall we?_

So do please review!


	11. Chapter 11: Diadems and Dragons

Chapter 11: Diadems and Dragons:

Black Manor: November 1994:

Slughorn walked into the gleaming hall of Grimmauld place and smiled, this house looked so warm and inviting, much as it had when he first became head of Slytherin. He noticed with a pleased smile the elves' heads were no long on the wall and the portraits that remained were clean and well cared for. He was glad to see Phineas Nigulus Black seated regally in his frame clad in robes of green trimmed with silver. He had long gray locks of hair with a neatly trimmed beard and gray eyes and smiled at Slughorn before he went to grab and book and take a sip of his goblet of wine. Sirius it seemed would spare no expense for his so many great grandfather in having added to his large portrait things of comfort, including nearly all of the Black library at its disposal.

"They are in the drawing room." Phineas said.

"Thank you, is Albus here?" Slughorn asked.

"Yes, would you like some sunglasses?" Severus asked walking down the hall and getting a chuckle from Phineas. "Really headmaster Black I think sometimes headmaster Dumbledore is colorblind or insane and I am leaning towards insane."

"Says the man who dresses all in black." Phineas shot back.

"It hides the blood of spilled virgins." Severus shot back, "mostly hormonal teen boys."

"Make sure you have decent silencing charms up." Phineas shot back, "you do not wish to disturb the young ladies when you have to torture, oh pardon me discipline them."

"The way you two carry on it would seem you torture and torment the boys at Hogwarts." Slughorn said.

Despite how Phineas would stated he believed in a good whipping he really did not. Sure he used corporal punishment in Hogwarts in his day but it was always the paddle and never a cane or anything that could cut or leave bruises on a student. He felt lines, detentions and the like taught a child much more than a beating ever would, besides a child was more likely to not forget why he or she was being punished if they were scrubbing cauldrons or cleaning bedpans or the like. Even Filch who threatened the students with chains and had a set well oiled in his office never would really beat a child. Maybe a good stern spanking but other than that he would not harm anyone, he had to instill fear in the students as he was a squib and it was the only way they would respect him.

Slughorn made his way up to the drawing room and saw that the other heads of house were here, tall stern McGonagall , short merry Sprout and cheerful Flitwick. Then there was Dumbledore, while the others here were mostly conservatively clad, even Slughorn in a magnificent set of emerald green velvet robes trimmed in navy blue he was clad in robes of very bright blue with stars and moons all over them. He had on a tall pointed purple hat and blue boots. Severus took a seat by Slughorn who, like Dumbledore got the chairs nearest the fireplace. Sirius made his entrance clad in jeans, heavy buckled boots, a leather bikers jacket with his hair tied back. Last came Nicolas and Pernelle Flamel, the Flamels were not, as may assumed dead, they were alive and well and here to help with the Horcruxes. They both had snow white hair and were clad in muggle attire, he in a navy three piece suit and tie, she in a long simple dress of the same color. They took a seat and the meeting got underway.

"So what do you have to show us Horace?" Dumbledore asked.

"I know how Tom has stayed alive all this time." Slughorn said, "he created Horcruxes."  
"Such a waste." Nicolas said sadly, "he was so talented and destroyed himself that way."

"Excuse me did you say he created Horcruxes?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, what do you know about them?" Severus asked.

"I had a book called _Magic Most Evil_, or the devil's handbook. Only nine were ever made, three remain, or did."

"Where is the book?" Dumbledore asked.

"Went to Romania and visited a few friends, had a bit of a book Barbie and that was that." Sirius replied. "So how many did ol' Voldy create? Six seven?"

"Six, he wanted to know if he could spilt his soul into seven pieces." Slughorn said taking out a bag, "I found one, in the room of requirement. Seems he turned Ravenclaw's diadem into one."

"Oh no, that evil foul." Here Flitwick let off a few very harsh swearwords and took the now broken diadem from Slughorn., "I will see if I can get the goblins to repair this."

"That means if we are right there are four more out there." Slughorn said.

"And you my dear sir know what they are." Nicolas said to Dumbledore.

The rest of the evening was spent learning what evils Voldemort had done and how to destroy both him and his evil anchors. They knew that time was short, they had a year if they were lucky before he managed to come back, they could not get to Riddle manor, both it and the grounds were now well beyond their reach, as much as they hated it they could only wait and watch and hope they could get all the Horcuxes before the dark lord could rise again.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: November 1994:

Harry had enough of Dudley, he really had. Most of Hogwarts believed him when he said he had not entered his name in the goblet (it did help having a rock solid alibi as well) and per his insistence rallied around Cedric the Hogwarts champion. Yet Dudley could not keep his mouth shut which was why Harry served not one but two well deserved detentions with Severus. Dudley ended up in the hospital wing with a broken nose and a few broken ribs and twenty lost points to Slytherin, from Severus. Harry was now finishing scrubbing the last cauldron to a gleaming shine when Severus entered the room and sat at his desk.

"So any idea what the first task is going to be and how you will get around it?" Severus asked.

"Yea, dragons, not fair to everyone else, though I did warn Cedric and told him seekers skills could help." Harry said.

"Helping the competition how noble Harry." Severus said.

"No just helping the true Hogwarts champion." Harry replied.

"You do need to be careful around Skeeter, she can turn on you." Severus said.

"I know she normally would, but I made her promise to tell the truth regarding me." Harry replied, "besides it was a lovely article on the true champions, not a word about me until the very end and only in small print."

"I know how you hate your fame, but you cannot hide no matter how you want to." Severus said, "I am glad you are so like your mother."

"As am I, we don't need a swelled headed Potter back at Hogwarts, James was enough." Remus said walking into the room. "If he were here he would agree with me, he did grow up unlike Sirius."

"Yes which is why I warded the dungeons against him, it is good to be head of house here, I can do that." Severus said smiling coldly. "Next time he tries to come down here he will find himself de-aged and doing lines."

"Oh and look my classroom has become a side show act." Severus said.

This last was to Alastor Moody, the real Alastor Moody limping into the office. He nodded to Harry and Remus and turned to face Severus leaning on his staff smiling grimly. He knew full well it made him look terrifying as he was a horribly scarred man with only one normal beady eye and one round vivid blue magical one that was whizzing around in his head. Walking with him in full view was a house elf clad in a belted tunic and breeches made of a soft brown blanket, a cap made of a tea cozy. It was clear that Moody, like many families who had house elves treated his well and even required them to wear uniforms (they still, even if free refused clothes for the most part and did not like taking time off or pay). He owed Harry thanks for suggesting he keep his house elf, Nobby by him at all times, the elf could protect him and stay invisible when needed.

"Yes the biggest freak is you Snape." Moody said glaring at him, "I enjoyed the talks we had years ago."

"I hate you, pervert." Severus said coldly, "what you must get up to with that eye."

"It's magical, it sees magic, not through clothes, not anything like that, it sees magic and can see in normal sight too." Moody said taking it out shoving it to Harry, "take a look."

"Um no thank you sir, I believe you, maybe professor Snape would like to?" Harry said shuttering. "Um professor I am done."

"Good, go and stay out of trouble brat!" Severus said.

"Yes sir." Harry replied.

He left the room and Moody slumped to a chair and took a seat, he conjured up a glass, filled it with water from his wand and dunked his eye in it. Then he took it out, cleaned it off carefully and put it back in his head, all the while knowing he was seriously unnerving the Severus at least. Good, the eye was not much in looks but it did allow him to see magic and that was more important than matching now wasn't it? Besides he now really had earned the name "Mad-eye" now hadn't he? He sniffed the potion that Severus shoved at him and let his house elf check it before he took it. Old habits died hard and though he could trust Snape he was not too sure of the wolf, not yet anyway and not because he was a werewolf, he just did not know the man's mind as well as he knew Severus's. What he did know is that when he got his hands on those who had dared kidnap him and torture him (something he was far too used to) he was going to make them pay and pay dearly.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: November 28, 1994:

Harry waited calmly in the tent for his turn to come up. He was the last champion and so he had to wait for Cedric to finish with his Swedish Short Snout before he could go out and face the Norwegian Ridgeback. He hoped she would at least listen to him and not try to hurt him before he could explain what it was he needed to do. Already Krum had come back with a burn on his shoulder and Fleur had a cut on her arm. He saw Cedric come back pale but unharmed and knew it was his turn. He walked out clad in battle robes of green, he figured if he was going to be in this tournament he had better be well prepared, or so Sirius and Severus had said. Severus had insisted on green trimmed in red with a suit of basilisk armor under it (this from the harvesting of the basilisk in the chamber and part of the skin given to a goblin armor maker) charmed to grow with him to his adult height. He walked up to where the ten foot long dragon stood on all four powerful legs over her eggs the end of her tail flicking in anger.

"_Ah hello_?" Harry hissed to her softly in Parseltongue.

"_You speak the tongue of snakes_." The dragon said her eyes narrowing much like a cat's.

"_Yes oh great one, please I wish not to harm your eggs, but there is one that is not yours, it is gold if I might have that_?" Harry asked.

"_Ah so you are right_." The dragon said looking at her eggs and nosing the false one forward, "_take it, but run I cannot look soft to those here_."

"_Yes oh great one, thank you_!" Harry said.

He got the egg and ran for it the dragon giving out a roar of what everyone thought was anger. Harry got to the end of the arena and grinned at the roar of the crowd. He was stunned when he got perfect scores, from all the judges and was in first place! In second place was Cedric then Fleur and then Victor who did not seem to mind being in last as he had only entered the tournament to please his headmaster who now was disgraced and had as of yet to be found as he had fled and left the twenty students from Durmstang in the care of a foreign school.

"That was amazing, you must have put her in a trance!" Cedric said clapping him on the back, "that was amazing Harry!"

"You did great too from what I heard, all of us did, we are all alive." Harry said.

"This is true." Victor said, "we could have party yes?"

"Sure, I mean why not that is what this tournament is really all about right?" Cedric said.

"I agree, I am sure madam will not mind as long as we are behaved no and Hogwarts she is a lovely castle." Fleur said.

This was how another feast was had in the great hall and after, fourth year and up were allowed to stay up late and have a party in the great hall. Of course the professors were there to make sure the students were behaved and that none tried to sneak in any alcohol (namely Fred and George Weasley) and a great time was had by all there. Dumbledore beamed as he spoke with madam Maxine and Alexander Bauer the new headmaster of Durmstang a tall stocky man with long raven hair tied back, sharp blue eyes and a patch of hair on his chin. He was clad in sweeping robes of dark red and seemed a better fit as head of Durmstang than Karkaroff ever had.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_As Slughorn is helping Harry here he has had time to think on what he knows. That is why he called this meeting to deal with Voldemort. He trusts the heads of houses at Hogwarts which is why they are at Black Manor. Sirius got the house nice and clean now and talked to his loyal house elf too. That is why there is no more portrait of his mother either. _

_Yes the real Moody is here and more than willing and ready to take on those that harmed him. Oh and those who annoy him like what Severus seems to like to do, I mean I don't see Moody as an evil hard torturing kind, more cunning and such and Slytherin. As for how Harry took care of the dragon, I don't see it as cheating more as using his strengths. _

_So anyway do please review!_


	12. Chapter 12: Underwater Dancing

Chapter 12: Underwater Dancing:

Hogwarts December 1994:

Harry smoothed down his dress robes for the tenth time and looked up as Ron walked into the room. Harry was impressed with what his friend had done with his secondhand dress robes. Where they had once been a bright red and very frilly they were now navy blue with no sign of frills and looked very nice and even fit him. He had learned the charms and spells to fix them when Harry once more reminded him he was a wizard and he could take care of the robes himself. Harry was clad in bottle green dress robes and looked very handsome, he was waiting for his date while Ron went and got his, he was taking Lavender Brown while Harry was taking Ginny. Neville was going with Luna Lovegood and would meet them in the great hall. Hermione had refused to say who she was going with and wanted it to be a surprise.

Harry looked up to the stairway to the girls dorms, looked at the time then really looked up. Walking down the stairs was a picture of loveliness. Ginny was clad in pale green robes that hugged her in all the right places and came to just above her ankles with long sleeves. Her hair was done up on her head and the little wealth the Weasley family had was her mother's ruby necklace and matching earrings that she was wearing now. Even Ron could not grudge his sister new dress robes as she was so happy and he had mixed feelings, one he wanted to protect his sister and the other was he was pleased Harry made Ginny happy. Lavender came down clad in robes of pale pink and but Harry saw only Ginny, the green robes were lovely on her.

"Like them?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, you are beautiful my lady." Harry breathed.

"Oh so formal sir, well if my champion will be good to escort me to the ball?"

"I would my lady." Harry said.

He walked out and down the stairs to the doors of the great hall where the other champions were. He saw a pretty girl by Victor clad in pretty powder blue robes her brown hair done up on her head and sapphires about her throat. Cedric was with his girlfriend Cho Chung who was clad in pretty red robes to his navy. Fleur was standing with a tall man with long flaming red hair tied back from a handsome face with blue eyes and a patch of hair on his chin and was clad in navy robes. Wait Bill Weasley managed to snag Fleur? Harry was impressed that Bill was here and had managed to woo the part Veela witch. It was never easy for any wizard to win the hand of a Veela and Bill was very lucky.

"Wow you are lucky." Ginny said to Fleur.

"I know, so are you, Bill is so good and handsome." Fleur said, "Harry is too no?"

"Oh yes and a good friend and my knight in crumpled school robes." Ginny said getting Harry to blush.

"I ah have Dobby iron them now." Harry said.

"Well you did have to slide down a pipe, kill a sixty foot snake and snatch me from the clutches of an evil wizard." Ginny replied.

Harry was glad she could talk about this now, not many knew the full truth of what had happened, that a diary had snared her and a shade of Voldemort had nearly killed her. What they knew is a dark wizard had got into Hogwarts and trapped her intending to kill her and that was true enough. For Ginny to speak about her time there showed she was getting past what had happened, she had good friend to help her too, mostly Luna Lovegood who though strange in some ways really was wise and good in others. Harry took another look at the girl by Victor and saw that it was _Hermione_! Before he could speak to her the doors to the great hall opened and they entered a winter wonderland. The champions made their way to the table reserved for them and took a seat.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts?" Yarrow asked Fleur and Victor.

"It is very nice, older than the Beauxbatons Palace which was built just five hundred years ago as a thank you for the magical world hiding the last of the Knight Templar's."

"So that is where they went, I thought they got them all back in 1300." Harry asked.

"Non, there is a church on the school's lands where they could hide, most treasures are there, mostly books and such." Fleur said.

"We have large library too." Victor said, "the castle is not large like here and fires are not lit but for magic use, we only use a magical furnace to heat our school."

"Like Hogwarts with the Roman style ducts in the walls?" Hermione said.

"Yes, just that." Victor said smiling at her, "I wish I could show you Durmstrag, it is not fair such a one as you is not allowed there."

"The laws of the school are ancient," Bauer said, "even I cannot change them you know. Though I am learning the school even as we speak."

"As do I all the time." Dumbledore said, "Hogwarts loves to show me many wonderful new things."

"As does my Beauxbatons, you all must come and see her non?" Madam Maxine said.

Though Harry did not feel he truly belong with the other champions they treated him as one of them and he could see respect from the gathered foreign headmaster and mistress. It made him feel good that the truth was known and he was happy to be here with Ginny. What made his day complete was the fact he did not see Dudley, it was petty he knew but he was glad his git of a cousin did not get a date. He saw Draco was with Pansy and though they did dance very well he really hoped Draco did not marry her, he feared his friend would end up hexed badly as Pansy was well known for her temper among the boys of Hogwarts. Well both she and Daphne the sell proclaimed "ice queen" of Slytherin. Later that evening he headed back to Gryffindor common room to find Ron and Hermione talking.

"Look Ron I don't see why you care, if you wanted to go with me you should have asked!" Hermione hissed at him, "Victor asked me for me, for little Hermione Granger it was me he wanted to go with and you better…"

"It's not that, look I am, well if he hurts you I will kill him, I don't want you hurt." Ron stammered out.

"You think I cannot take care of myself?" Hermione said glaring at him.

"I know you can, but I don't want to have to hex what remains of Krum if he tries anything."

"He is a perfect gentleman, honestly Ron not every boy wants sex all the time! He is very sweet and did you know he pledged to remain a virgin until he got married?"

"That is nuts that is." Ron said, "why would he do that?"

"Not all guys put it in before they get married you know." Ginny said kissing Harry then walking to the stairs to the girls dorms, "take a look at the Americans, I hear that despite their TV shows most are virgins until they get married."

"Just be careful he is a pureblood and does go to Durmstrag alright?" Ron said.

"I know their reputation and he is not like that." Hermione said, "I am going to bed."

Harry just looked at Ron and wonder where his friend was and who this was before him. He saw Neville come into the common room a dreamy look on his face. It was doubtful he cared about the ten points he lost snagging Luna as she was quite the kisser. Who knew she knew how to snog like _that_? Ron watched Harry and slowly realized his sister had kissed his best friend! Harry in the meantime had the same dreamy look on his face and was looking forward to snogging Ginny in some broom closet. He really had to see if his father was right about there being one hundred and fifty closets in Hogwarts or of he was having him on.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Lake January 1995:

Harry had figured out the egg and he really was regretting asking Severus for the gillyweed. Slughorn had been there and thought it would be splendid if Severus took him to the lake, in the middle of winter. Harry did not but he was now trudging with the tall lean frame of his uncle to a quiet cove where they removed their robes to reveal the wetsuits under them. It was too cold, even with gillyweed to swim in anything less, even near the Mer-village. The Mer-people might be able to handle the cold water well (they did have some sort of steam set up to warm their huts) but humans did not.

"Sir this is cold why do we have to do this now?" Harry all but whined.

"Because dear boy this will be fun!" Slughorn said walking up and throwing off his robes to show that yes, wetsuits did come in his size, "I brought more if we need it Severus."

"And here I thought annoying old men would stay at the castle." Severus muttered just getting Slughorn to chuckle, "here Harry, do not start eating it until you are in the water and only one handful, it will last an hour in which time you should get used to the changes."

"Right of course sir." Harry said, "you know your detentions are not as cruel as this! I am going to write grandmother and tell her what you made me do!"

"It was her idea." Severus said silkily by his side.

"Damn." Harry replied.

"Language Harry." Severus said sternly.

"Yes sir."

All three wizards got into the water and ate a handful of gillyweed. In a few short minutes they had to duck under the water as they had sprouted gills and soon had long webbed feet and their hands were webbed too. Harry did find it fun to be under the water and the wetsuit did make all the difference. He practiced swimming, his swimming lessons the past summer making this easy for him. He saw Slughorn really did resemble a white walrus in the water but would never tell the man that. He respected him far too much though he knew Severus would as he tended to just speak his mind. Something Harry still guarded against as he had learned young from his aunt it was painful to do so. Severus had taken out a spear and seeing a fish went after it and managed to catch it.

Later, after they had dried off and changed into their clothes and robes (Harry into school uniform under his robes) and had a fine lunch of grilled fish they headed back to Hogwarts. Harry was walking ahead of his Severus and Slughorn his cloak wrapped around him hood up deep in thought, or that was the case until Padfoot came bounding up and knocked him in the snow. Harry sat up and drew his wand just as Remus came up, the look on Harry's face was exactly how his mother looked when his father or most notably Sirius riled her up. Padfoot backed up and barked in joy, but he was not barking in joy when Harry showed how good he was getting in transfiguration. This was why McGonagall came up from shopping in Hogsmeade to see a very stubborn shaggy black dog in green harness at one end of a green leash and a teen boy at the other trying to get him to move.

"I will make it pink, you don't move and I make it pink!" Harry said to Padfoot.

"Might I ask what on earth is going on here?" McGonagall asked.

"He knocked me down for the fourth time this week." Harry replied, "I was going to punish him but now I just want to get him inside out of this cold professor."

"Well what are you waiting for, inside with ye or you will face Tabby."

Padfoot was scared of Tabby and so he made his way into Hogwarts tail between his legs as he was marched up the stairs by students who knew who this was. They saw the green harness (with silver snakes slithering on it) and green leash and laughed. The girls thought he was adorable and Padfoot wondered what was to happen to him. Harry did turn his godfather over to Ginny who found Luna and a few other girls and smirked evilly as he knew what would be done to him. An hour later a combed, braided and bowed disgruntled dog was brought into the Gryffindor common room and Harry looked at Padfoot who glared at his godson laughing at him! He thought of turning human but realized how stupid he would look and so contented himself with flopping before the fire hoping Harry would have mercy on him and remove the stupid bows!

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So a bit of fun here for all, I wanted to show that Ron can be a good guy. Hermione is one of his good friends and he does care, he does not want her hurt. I will most always pair Harry and Ginny, I see them as perfect together, there is a good reason JKR brought life debts. Ginny does owe one to Harry but he would never abuse that, he is too good a man to do so. _

_Anyway having Severus help him is not out of line, he is his uncle after all and is closer to him than he ever would be to Dudley who is a brat of the highest order. Padfoot keeps trying to prank Harry and Harry retaliates in ways like what he did here. _

So do review as that is how I get paid you know! :)


	13. Chapter 13: The Lake and Dark Arts

Chapter 13: The Lake and Dark Arts:

Hogwarts February 1995:

Dudley hated Harry, he really did, the words Harry had said to him last year made him angry. He was not evil and Harry was a stuck up pig, it really was good he had been kicked out by his parents. Now Dudley had them all to himself and he liked it that way. Ever since he would remember Harry had been there, taking attention from him and upsetting his parents, mostly his dear mother. He was a freak, even here and he was a stuck up bully, why he even beat him up for speaking the truth. At least he had friends who saw Potter for what he was and he was here with them now, Robert Avery, both Flora and Hestia Carrow from his house, Latisha Randle, Samuel Fawcett both from Ravenclaw and lastly the loan Gryffindor, Cormac McLaggen, there were no Hufflepuffs who seemed to agree with him.

"So you get the books?" Dudley asked McLaggen.

"Of course, McGonagall was glad to see I wanted to study." McLaggen replied, "why don't you buy these yourself or ask for a permission slip to go to the restricted section?"

"I am the cousin of the bloody brat who lived, you know I am watched, besides these books, well I cannot see why they are labeled dark." Dudley said

"Because they take strength to weld." Flora a dark haired young girl said, "you are a muggleborn, I doubt you have the strength."

"Not fully muggleborn, and I am aware of my shortcomings." Dudley said coldly, "but I have proven I belong in this world."

"Knowing our customs and who's who is only part of it." Hestia, a near carbon copy of her twin sister said, "you need the generations of magic built up in the blood."

"I know I am at a disadvantage, this is why I need to learn these things." Dudley replied, "I need to be strong."

"Lay off him Carrow," Randle, a short blonde girl with a mean face said, "he is not like most mudbloods, he knows his place."

"I do, I live to serve." Dudley said.

Now Dudley was not stupid, he had acted that way growing up but really was a smart boy. He could have done better in muggle school if he had studied and only got average grades because he did not. Here he did study and learned and knew his place in this world. As muggleborn he was considered near the bottom, he was at best a servant and he knew this. He crafted a persona among his friends, well that was a loose term, comrades or allies of a willing servant and one who knew his place. It had helped from his first year to fit into Slytherin and kept him from getting beat up as he did not need to be "shown his place", his ability to stay out of trouble growing up had been, in part playing off his parents weaknesses. He could do the same here and only his cousin got him to act reckless as he hated Harry Potter with a passion. He was handed _A Guide to the Dark Arts_ and he smirked as he realized here was his chance to prove he really belonged here.

"Be careful with that, it's my dad's." McLaggen warned him.

"Thought you got this out of the restricted section?" Dudley asked him.

"No I got some stuff for me." McLaggen said, "I will share once you get through that."

"Deal." Dudley said, "thanks."

He took the book grateful that he had a few people in Hogwarts on his side and that he was smart enough to know where he fit. He would show he belonged here, he would and with that resolve he tucked the book into his book-bag and headed back to the Slytherin dorms. He would, for now leave his cousin alone, but there would come a time he would do all he could to take him down and put him back in his place. It was, after all a role his mother had taught him well and one he was determined to continue with. But not yet, his own head of house rumors had it was close to the brat and would not tolerate him confronting him time and time again. Besides he did not want to have to face his house mates again after losing twenty points from their head of house, even if he was going against his nemesis Harry Potter.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts Lake: March 1995:

Harry shivered despite his warm robes over his wetsuit, it was a really cold day and everyone out here was layered extra warm. The lake was not frozen over anymore but that did not mean the water was anywhere near warm. He threw off his robes and walked to the edge of the lake and looked over at the others here, and did a double-take. There standing at the end of the row was Victor Krum, a pureblood wizard with an Aqua lung and clad in full scuba gear. Harry blinked, this was new to him. Where had Victor, ah Hermione Harry just grinned and Victor smiled sheepishly.

"I did not ask her about the tournament, it would make me how you say a cad to do so?" Victor said, "I learn from my father who says muggles have good things. I train in secret."

"You know I think I like you." Harry said, "it shows purebloods do have some brains."

"Yes some do, my father for one." Fleur replied.

"What does that make me?" Cedric wondered aloud.

"Well you are only one generation pureblood so you are alright, not as inbreed as my godfather." Harry replied.

"I shudder to learn how closely his mother and father were related." Victor said, "there must be new blood every once and a while, even the pureblood know this, otherwise squibs would come more."

"So that is why you are dating Hermione, bet she loved hearing that." Harry muttered.

"I will have you know lord Potter I date her because she is lovely and good and smart all in one." Victor said, "I should challenge you for such a remark."

"I was just joking, can you not take a joke?" Harry asked.

"As much as your potions master I think." Victor replied.

"Alright on my mark you will get in the water, when the whistle blows you have an hour!" Hooch said from the edge of the lake.

On her mark the teens got in the water and Harry stuffed some of his gillyweed in his mouth. He finished chewing and swallowed just as Hooch blew her whistle. He dove into the water glad he had practiced and swam his way to where he knew the Mer-village was. The others were not all that far behind and he found Victor was very well prepared as he swam by kicking his flippers. Harry put on more speed and swam by him grinning as they came into the village. They came on the square and saw that the four hostages were there tied to a statue there. Harry had his knife out and had cut Ginny free while Victor worked on getting Hermione free. Cedric was next and he got Cho free then Fleur came, her sleeve was torn and she worked quickly on her sister to get her free. Harry held Ginny close and swan to the surface fast with Victor on his heels. It was very close, Harry broke the surface and got Ginny to the shore where she woke and smiled up at him.

"I don't mind waking to seeing you." Ginny said, "you can rescue me anytime, as long as I get to return the favor one of these days."

"Sure, if I need rescue you can come and rescue me." Harry said making sure she was wrapped up warm and had a pepper up potion before he did, "you alright?"

"I am now." Ginny said, "though a cup of hot cocoa would not hurt."

"Here you go sister, one hot cocoa coming up." Fred said handing over a steaming mug.

"Not drugged, tampered with or anything." George replied.

"Better not be or I will use my special curse far lower than your noses." Ginny muttered sipping the hot drink, "very nice."

"We don't prank our dear sister." Fred said.

"Or Percy." George replied, "I don't like getting thrashed like that."

"True brother dearest, he did thrash both of us, with his fists, never knew he was so strong."

"Or could do that."

"Yes but you two deserved it, mum told you to leave him alone and what did you do? You finally got him to snap, just be glad that you did not do the same to Bill or Charlie."

"They don't snap but why must they have the right to wallop us good?" Fred sighed.

"Yes but Bill, ah he can weld a stinging hex better than mum even!"

Harry just grinned and drank his hot cocoa that turned out to be the same as Ginny's, not drugged or tampered with in anyway. Of course if Fred and George had done that they would learn, as had Padfoot he had a certain potions master on his side. Was that fair? Probably not but Harry would use what he could get to defend himself from pranks. He watched as the other champions, who he saw as the true champions get wrapped up and given pepper up potion and hot cocoa while the judges tallied the votes. Harry scowled as Victor got docked marks for using "muggle means" and this meant he was well in first place. He did not have much to worry about for the next few months, Severus, Slughorn and a few others were training him and he knew he could handle whatever was thrown at him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Black Manor: March 1995:

Sirius sat thinking about getting really, really drunk. The fact that his _dear_ cousin had an abomination in her vault (now his as the Lestrange family was broke and Bellatrix had a family vault until she was disowned and disinherited) nearly put him over the edge. He had no doubt she knew exactly what it was and he wondered if there was a way to check to see if she had managed to make one for herself, it was something she was evil enough to do. He threw the silk bag with the cup in it on the table (a charmed fake was now residing in the vault) and took the drink Kreacher offered. He looked down at his little house elf thinking, he knew now after he learned how his brother died that house elves were pretty smart and had deep feelings inside, much like he did.

"Kreacher would you know of a way to find evil things like a Horcruxes?" Sirius asked him as the rest of those trusted with what Voldemort had done filed in.

"Kreacher knows they are evil and can feel the of balance even here." Kreacher said, "feels like locket, locket wicked bad and master freed Kreacher from locket's spell. Though master is a wicked boy for wanting Kreacher to help him prank his werewolf."

"Tell me why I ordered you to be fully honest with me?" Sirius asked.

"Because you value Kreacher for Kreacher and wish to have wisdom of the ages." Kreacher replied, "this means you need to stop chewing the books master."

"Seems your elf is smarter than you Sirius." Severus said smirking at the other man's glare and taking a seat, "you really do need to stop chewing the books."

"I hate you." Sirius said not really meaning it he turned back to Kreacher, "so you can feel them, could you and others find them?"

"Yes, this the greatest evil, house elves do not have to obey masters when this greatest evil is found." Kreacher said.

"Oho this is good news." Slughorn said.

"Indeed so can you let older house elves know we need help in finding this great evil?" Flitwick asked walking in standing only a few inches taller than Kreacher.

"Kreacher would be honored, should Kreacher have the things delivered here?"

"Yes, I am going to have fun destroying more of these." Sirius said, "though I would like to get my hands on Voldy himself, I did keep a dungeon you know a few hours with a Black and he will beg for Azkaban, that is if he has a tongue to beg with."

Sirius might have steered away from many of his parent's values but he was a Black and he did know how to torture and do all kinds of awful things. He was fully capable to do so and not even feel badly about it, well not too badly and he was a very dangerous man. Under his joking demeanor and easygoing ways he might not be the brightest man but he did have a sadistic side to him. It was good he was on the side of freedom and not on Voldemort's side as he could, if angered enough give Bellatrix a run for her money. He sat back and sipped at his firewhisky realizing that house elves really were brilliant and that it was best treat them with respect after all. If Kreacher and others could find other Horcruxes than Voldemort's then a lot of evil could be removed from the world and the threat of old dark lord or ladies popping back up could be a thing of the past.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So there is the lake, a bit short but sweet, and I do like Victor Krum, to me he is a good guy. Dudley on the other hand is well a brat and well he has his head in the wrong place for now it seems. Voldemort should just stay dead, he really should with all who want him gone, oh and why not have house elves able to not only detect a Horcrux but be able to find one?_

_Anyway do please review!_


	14. Chapter 14: The Third Task

Chapter 14: The Third Task:

Hogwarts June 1995:

Harry was more than ready for what lay ahead, he knew that he would face the greatest challenge of all in this task. Not only was he going to have to get through a maze but he would have to deal with some nasty creatures as well. He was thankful for all the training he had done, he was as well trained as he could be in magic and he was very good with non-magical fighting as well. He had taken to throwing knives and he had the sword of Gryffindor too (his to use as he did pull it from the hat and had the right to wield it) and was sure he would get through this more or less in one piece.

He was clad in his armor and green battle robes with the Potter coat of arms on them. Cedric was clad in black battle robes with the Hogwarts coat of arms on his while Fleur was clad in light blue with the Beauxbatons coat of arms. Victor had blood red robes with the Durstang coat of arms and all four though still very young looked every bit the champions they were, even Harry (who denied it vehemently each time it was brought up).

All were well armed, Victor had sword and shield and a battle axe, Cedric had a sword too and a satchel full of potions and the like. Fleur had a bow and arrow that she was very well trained in and two long knives, a trademark of the Veela and the high elves (Veela were in fact a small branch of high elves) and she looked far more elf-like now with her shimmering light blue battle robes and armor fitted to both be comfortable and accent her shapely frame. Harry was scanning the front of the maze and trying his best to remain calm, he knew if he kept his head he would get through this and that was all he wanted to do, was get through this in one piece.

"On my whistle you Mr. Potter will go through first, then Miss Delacur and Mr. Diggory and finally Mr. Krum." Bagman said.

"Ready?" Harry asked the others.

"Of course, this will be fun I think." Fleur replied tying a blue scarf with a white weasel on it to her belt, everyone knew it was from Bill Weasley, tradition did allow one to have the badge of their lady or in Fleur's case gentleman for all to see.

"Need help with yours Harry?" Cedric teased getting Harry to blush as he tied on Ginny's white scarf.

"No you need help?" Harry shot at him.

"He has good lady, as do I." Victor said tying a pink scarf to his belt, "if I died today I would be happy for I have had the friendship of a lovely lady."

"How sweet, Hermione would love to hear you say that." Harry said.

"She has, I learn how to speak English well for her." Victor replied.

The teens stepped to the line and on the whistle Harry stepped into the maze wand out and started down one side. He cast a compass spell and saw the center of the maze was to his right and he made his way to his first obstacle, a very large very upset muzzled Minotaur. Even muzzled Harry knew how dangerous one of these was, it was not even suppose to exist, it was created by dark wizards in the ancient times of the Greeks, they were stupid and full of rage and though rare they did , from time to time terrorize the magical world. Harry threw a few stunners at the creature and managed to slow it down before he took his sword and drove it through the creature. He vaulted over the badly hurt minotaur and made his way past it and came on his next challenge.

"Great, maybe I should start singing." Harry muttered as he saw the large spider scurrying up to him, "glad Ron is not here."

"You shall not pass human." The spider said.

"Well I pass or you face my sting." Harry said, "well it's borrowed but you will face it."

"Die then!"

Harry ducked and managed to avoid the fangs of the spider and stuck his sword deep into its belly. The spider gave off a shriek and fell dead to the ground. Harry went on and came up short as he saw a Dementor, he growled in anger and cast the _Patronus _charm at it. A large solid silver stag bounded forward and bowled the "Dementor" over, before Harry could do anything the Bogart (for that is what it was) fled in fear. Harry just shook his head and ran on and found his way blocked by a large creature. It had the body of a lion and the head of a woman and he realized the Sphinx was going to ask him a riddle.

"Right I can do this." Harry said remembering the times Fred or George liked to play riddle games and try to stump him, "I wish to pass."

"You must answer my riddle then, three tries you have, answer wrong and you will die." She replied.

"Right, I am ready."

"_First think of the person who lives in disguise,_

_Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies._

_Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

_The middle of middle and end of end?_

_And finally give me the sound often heard,_

_During the search for a hard-to-find word._

_Now string them together and answer me this,_

_What creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"_

"Spider." Harry said, it was all too easy as he had just taken one out and this kind of riddle was grade school for him, "can I ask one?"

"No, is that your answer?"

"Spider, yes, my final answer." Harry said.

"Then you may pass."

"Thank you." Harry said bowing to her.

He ran on and came to the center of the maze, sword out ready for anything. He got to the cup and got a hold of it and felt the pull of a portkey. He tensed when he landed but found himself before a roaring crowd, he grinned and looked up to see the twinkling eyes of the headmaster, and the cheering crowd before a blur of red attacked him and in front of everyone Ginny Weasley kissed him. Harry returned it and felt as if he were on top of the world, he turned to see Fleur then Cedric exit the maze nearly at the same time then Victor, battered but alive, Hermione was there at once to help Victor who gave her a small hug and smile. The champions walked to the stands for the award ceremony, someone threw a gold galleon at Harry who caught it on reflex and with a jerk he was gone from the stand.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Riddle Manor June 1995:

Harry found himself flying through the air, his hand stuck to the rod. He landed with a thud on the ground and stood up carefully, dusting off his robes. He looked around and saw he was nowhere near Hogwarts and refused to show the fear coursing through him. He was in a graveyard and at the moment he was alone, but not for long. He walked through the high gravestones, drawn to the center of the space where he saw a large man-sized cauldron over a large gravestone with a fire under it. He forgot about the pain in his knee and turned to leave when he heard the same high cold voice from his dreams.

"At last you are here." Came the voice of Lord Voldemort. " Bellatrix seize him."

"What the hell?" Harry said wand out Bellatrix was expecting this and had his wand at once.

"With pleasure master." Bellatrix said turning on the poor boy. "Come here you brat!"

"Let me go you bitch!"

In an instant Harry was disarmed, thrown against the very gravestone that the cauldron was under and bound cruelly to it and gagged so he could not speak. The hood of the black robed Bellatrix fell back and Harry looked on the pale black haired woman with hatred. How Harry hated her, she was pure evil and he wondered if her black leather bodice was made if the victims she had killed. She was clad in low cut black robe under this and she glared coldly at Harry under heavily lidded eyes. She slapped Harry which really got him mad, this bitch was reminding him of his aunt and what _wonderful_ memories that brought back.

"It is time Bellatrix." The voice of Voldemort said. "If you are ready."

"I am master, I am honored to do this." Bellatrix said.

"I am sorry for the pain you will feel." Voldemort said.

"It is nothing, it is my penitence for not escaping sooner to get to you." Bellatrix said.

Harry wondered what he meant and was only able to watch as Bellatrix walked to a small bundle of robes and carefully picked it up. She carried it as if it were fragile and the look on her face was of worship and love. She removed the robes and if Harry could have screamed he would have. What the robes held was a child-shaped creature, but so unlike a child in looks, the skin was raw and red and the eyes, no child could possibly have such demon eyes like that. Bellatrix gently picked up the creature and lowered it into the cauldron and with a dull thunk it hit the bottom of the cauldron.

_Please let it have drowned_. Harry thought. _Please let it have died._

"Bones of the father you will renew your son." Bellatrix said pointing his wand at the grave below the cauldron and dust shot into the cauldron. "Flesh of the servant willingly given." She took out a knife and calmly, as if she did this everyday cut off her own right hand letting it fall into the cauldron. She let out a hiss of pain but used her wand to stop the bleeding and walked up to Harry next. "Flesh of the enemy forcibly taken." See cut the sleeve of Harry's robe and cut him and summoned the blood to the cauldron.

Bellatrix stepped back and though he had to be in great pain he refused to show it and stood, waiting and watching. The cauldron's contents brightened and looked like bright diamonds. The light went out and a thin hairless man rose from the cauldron and at once Bellatrix was there with robes to clothe him. He bowed deeply as the creature stepped from the cauldron and began to examine his pale hairless head and face, his hands and body and he turned, his red eyes on Harry then on his most loyal servant. Harry wanted to scream but could not. Lord Voldemort was back and he was going to die. He felt dizzy with fear and loss of blood. Yet it was nothing compared to what Bellatrix was feeling. She was in pain and suffering greatly but refused to show it. She bowed low to his lord as Voldemort stretched and looked around with his cruel red eyes. He turned to the trembling Bellatrix and looked over at Harry but did not speak to him.

"You are to be rewarded Bellatrix." Voldemort said to the man who was now on his knees before Voldemort.

"Seeing you reborn is reward enough master." Bellatrix said refusing to let her pain show.

"Yet you are to be rewarded, show me your arm." Voldemort said and Bellatrix held up his left one, "no not yet, your reward first, my dear sweet Bellatrix."

Bellatrix held up the stump of his right arm up and Voldemort summoned with his wand a hand, it was silver in color and looked like a knight's gauntlet. Voldemort fastened this onto the stump of Bellatrix 's arm and at once the pain in Bellatrix 's eyes was gone. She looked at his new hand with awe and fell on his face at Voldemort's feet.

"Master I am not worthy of such an honor." Bellatrix said. "You are too good to me master."

"No Bellatrix, you have been most loyal to me, now to call the others, I wish to see who is still loyal, who will come when summoned, now show me your left arm." Voldemort said.

"Yes master." Bellatrix said.

She did and Voldemort touched her arm with his wand and Bellatrix looked extremely happy. Harry saw the mark move as if alive and he watched as Voldemort stepped back and stood waiting. There was a sound but by the look on the dark wizard's faces not the one they had expected. Bellatrix had his wand out and pointed at a man, a man that clearly was a muggle. Harry tried to cry out to warn him but he could not and he was forced to watch as Bellatrix killed him in cold blood. He watched the man hit the ground with a cold sickening thud and at the same time the sound of people Apparating into the area made him turn his head to watch.

For the second time in his life Harry saw death eaters in full robes and masks up close, this time in real life not in a history book. Their black robes flowed over their frames and their hoods almost completely hid their bone white masks. They formed a half-circle around Voldemort and Bellatrix, twenty people showed up and took their places and as it became clear no more would come they closed ranks and stood a solid wall of black facing Voldemort. He seemed to expect more but resolved himself to those here. He began to speak to his followers, and what he said is mostly recorded but there are a few things that are not in the record as Harry did not fully report them at the time. Finally he finished on how he came back with the help of two of his most loyal servants.

" Bellatrix came to me when he managed to free himself from the grip of an oppressive father." Voldemort said. "Yet no-one else did, no-one believed I was back, except one other came to me first out of fear then out of loyalty, Wormtail, come here."

"M-master please forgive us!" One of the men broke the circle and crawled to Voldemort.

"Not yet Avery." Voldemort said. "_Crucio_." The death eater began to scream and writhe on the ground and Harry hoped someone heard them and would come and stop this. "I waited thirteen years and I want thirteen years of repayment from each of you! Wormtail has repaid some of his debt, Bellatrix owes me nothing, she has shown her love and loyalty."

"Master I am honored to serve you, no greater joy do I have than that of being in your service." Lucius said as he fell to his knees before Voldemort.

"Yes I know, however you still owe me so much Lucius, you came back out of fear, not loyalty." Voldemort said coldly.

"I am sorry master." Lucius said.

"Yes, however I have forgotten one who helped me come back, how the lies that have fed his fame." Voldemort said.

Now while Voldemort had been talking Harry had managed to get to one of his knives and work himself free careful to not cut himself with poisoned blade. He threw the gag away and had just healed up the cut on his arm when Voldemort turned to face the teen. He smiled a cold smile as he saw Harry standing there calmly mending his arm and robes, clearly the boy was a challenge to him. Before Harry could do anything he was shoved back against the headstone, Voldemort had his hand around his throat and was choking him.

"The protection is gone boy, and you are mine now." Voldemort said, "I can touch you now with no effect."

"Get your hands off me you pervert!" Harry choked out.

"I think you need to be taught some manners boy." Voldemort said throwing him to the ground, "clearly Harry Potter does not know his place."

"Clearly you don't know your place Voldemort!" Harry snarled, "in hell!"

"You dare use the dark lord's name!" Bellatrix snarled.

"Bitch, stay out of this won't you, Tom and I have unfinished business that does not include you!" Harry snarled refusing to show just how scared he was as he got to his feet, "So Tom you want to end this? Not very sporting to refuse to let me have my wand after all."

"Give the boy his wand, then I can kill him!" Voldemort said, "you will pay first for insulting me."

"I am sorry if the truth hurts bastard." Harry snarled taking his wand back.

"How dare you, _Crucio_!" Voldemort screamed.

Yet Harry was expecting something like that spell and he managed to duck behind a headstone. He knew he did not have enough power to take out Voldemort but he could get a few of his followers. He took out his knives, all dipped in basilisk venom for the third task and cast a disillusionment charm on himself, then he went hunting. He was very good with the knives and got ten death eaters killing them at once before they got wise and broke up to hunt him down. Voldemort managed to get his wand but Harry was still armed, he managed to get all but Lucius (who was smart enough to stand by his master to guard him and not hunt down Harry) and Bellatrix. He heard the angry hissing of Nagini behind him and turned to see the snake ready to strike, he dove out of the way and strait into the path of the _Crucio_ curse Voldemort had sent his way. He refused to scream in pain he would not though he was sure he was going to die of this pain. The curse was taken off and he lay there panting in pain rage in his eyes.

"Master let me have him." Lucius said, "I will teach him to respect you."

"No, he is mine, very clever boy, too bad you must die, you are a worthy opponent." Voldemort said crouching by Harry.

"Anyone tell you how ugly you are?" Harry asked, "why are you trying to look like Michael Jackson?"

"Filthy half blood!" Bellatrix screamed.

"Get up, I am going to kill you Harry and then I will take over the world with you out of the way." Voldemort said shoving Harry's wand at him, "defend yourself."

Harry stood still shaky from the curse and glared at Voldemort, he knew what was coming, knew there was no block for the curse and knew he was going to die. He stood and glared at Voldemort and gave him a rude sign just as the killing curse was sent his way. Lucius had to admit Harry Potter did have quite an attitude and he was sad to see the boy had to die. He was actually looking forward to not having to spend the rest of his life in the service of one evil dark lord. He watched as his freedom slipped away as the curse hit Harry and he fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Oh yes a major cliffy here. Harry is not turning dark, just because he killed several death eaters does not make him dark or evil! He is in war and is a soldier, soldiers do have to kill and he had no choice here! Sometimes one has to kill, most notably in the case of war. This does not make him dark or evil, you might as well state that all soldiers are dark and evil then, which they most assuredly are not! _

So anyway do please review!


	15. Chapter 15: The War Begins

Chapter 15: The War Begins:

Hogwarts June 1995:

Severus was not angry, upset or even annoyed, no that would mean he was still in control of himself, no he was livid. He stood in the hospital wing waiting and hoping Harry would activate his portkey to get back here, the only reason he was not raging and raving was Poppy standing near him. He knew when the boy was taken the worst was to come and now a hour later he was waiting for him to show up. He saw Harry fall limply to the floor and stand up brushing off his robes muttered curse words under his breath. He looked up at Severus who shoved Sirius out of the way and got to him first hugging the boy refusing to let him go, Sirius had to content himself putting an arm around Harry's shoulder. Severus finally took a step back and had his wand out to scan Harry to see if he was hurt.

"I saw Voldemort come back, he used my blood." Harry said, "the galleon I gave to Wormtail, I think the Aurors should have him now."

"I have him in my trunk." Moody said limping in with the headmaster, "little bastard is not getting away this time."

"Alastor!" Poppy snapped walking up, "mind your tongue."

"I need to know exactly what happened." Dumbledore said.

"Sure, if you have a pensive I can show you." Harry replied. "It's best that way."

"I got one somewhere." Moody said calling his house elf who appeared quickly, "please get my ministry pensive, we need it for Mr. Potter, oh and after that, oh do not worry she is here."

"Yes I am." Madam Bones said, "oh there you are Mr. Potter, I want to know what happened."

"Yes ma'am, just as soon as the pensive comes." Harry said, "I need to warn you, I ah killed some death eaters."

"Really? Should give you a metal for that." Bone said and at the frown from Dumbledore, "Albus that does not make him dark or bad, if that bastard of a dark lord is back then Harry here has every right to kill his followers or did you forget our little talk?"

Severus dared not smile, he had been in the headmaster's office when madam Bones came in with Slughorn and demanded at wand point to know just what Dumbledore was up to and what was this about a partial prophecy? Dumbledore had no choice but to tell her (after swearing her to secrecy) and now, like it or not had madam Bones as part of his order and actually a very good part too. He had reluctantly agreed that his order members would be allowed to kill if they had to, but no unforgivable spells were allowed. He was not happy to learn that Harry had known about the prophecy from his mother from going to Gringotts that very first time but at least that explained why the boy was so strong in his magical side of his studies. He saw Harry looked pale and was shaking slightly as he waited for Moody to come back.

"I am sorry, I had no choice, I had to make him weak from the start." Harry said, "I am sorry."

"It's war lad, even I have had to kill." Moody said, "ye did not torture anyone or anything like that?"

"No sir, I used my throwing knives." Harry replied.

"Put yer memories in here, we will watch." Moody said. "Use yer wand and concentrate on the memories, I will copy them and give you back the originals."

Harry did and took out the long strand and put it into the bowl and sat on the bed while the others in the room stood around the pensive and looked into it. After some time they came out of their trance and turned to Harry, both Severus and Sirius hugged him and would not let go, Dumbledore looked relieved and both Moody and Bones looked at Harry keenly. It was clear Harry had an ally in madam Bones now as she believed him fully, she was about to speak when the minister came into the room, madam Bones just directed him to the pensive and had him view the memories. While this was going on Harry was ushered behind a screen by Poppy and allowed to change to pajamas and put to bed. She checked him over, fixing his arm and giving him pain relieving potions, when she was done the minister walked up to Harry looking very pale.

"Mr. Potter, lord Potter I, what can I do to help?" Fudge asked.

"I am not good at planning sir." Harry replied, "I say let professor Slughorn or madam Bones work on what the best course of action would be."

"Yes of course, I am sorry, you should never have to go though such a thing, he is back and what will we do now?" Fudge said.

"Fight for freedom sir?" Harry replied.

"Harry needs to rest, after what he went through today, he needs to rest!" Poppy said.

Everyone but Sirius who had changed to Padfoot left and he curled up on the bed. Severus had wanted to stay but he had a duty to perform and so he left the room. Eileen came in at that time and sat down by Harry who taking one look at her buried his face on her shoulder and began to sob as realization of what had happened and what he had done hit him. She soothed him holding him and letting him sob comforting him all the time as he told her what he had done and how he felt so horrible and wicked. She assured him he was not and after he was able to calm down she had him take the dreamless draught so he could sleep.

Upstairs in the headmasters office the heads of houses at Hogwarts, madam Bones, the headmaster and the minister of magic sat in a meeting. They had to make a plan, something that would give them time to prepare to get Voldemort and stop him for good. Harry was very lucky, no it was more than luck, it was a miracle that he was alive after they had seen him hit with that killing curse. The other heads of houses had seen the memories and all that Harry had gone through and they were surprised at how he was able to fight even after he was tortured and killed. He had died there in the graveyard, they had seen it but God had allowed him to come back, a true miracle that showed Harry had so much good to do and not just in taking down Voldemort either.

"So what do we do?" Fudge asked.

"How good are you at acting sir?" Moody replied.

"Why does that matter?" Fudge said.

"You publically state you do not believe he is back, while behind the scenes madam Bones can start working on an army." Moody said, "if we can get the werewolves say on our side, say by having Remus take on and kill Grayback."

"He will not agree to that!" Dumbledore said.

"You wish to wager on that sir?" Severus said then to Moody, "you old Pervert I never thought you could be sneaky, you do spend so much time around lions after all."

"Stop riling up Alastor Severus." Slughorn replied.

"Fine, but why am I not going back to spy?" Severus asked, "it is obvious I am expendable after all."

"No, I will not allow it, there are others, you are not going back my boy." Dumbledore said, "I could not bear to lose you."

"Because I am the best potions master out there?" Severus said.

"Because I care about you." Dumbledore said getting Severus to stare at him in shock, "yes I do, if I had a son I could do no better than you."

"Yes and you do like to embarrass me as well." Severus muttered but everyone could see he was pleased.

"Fine if he stays here he will help us in tactics, I need to know exactly how that monster things and acts." Fudge said, "or I will send Scrimgeour to sort you out Snape."

"At least he is not ugly or a pervert like a certain Auror here." Severus said receiving a well earned smack upside his head. "I only speak the truth you old pervert!"

In the end it was agreed to keep things quiet, Moody was planning on interrogating Wormtail and maybe he would let Sirius have a chat with an old friend. He hated those that betrayed family like what Wormtail had done but he could not torture him, no he had vowed never to do that. He was above that sort of thing and would continue to be the better man no matter what. Harry would be told his part in the plan and Slughorn knew the boy would go for it after all. Moody was staying on as defense teacher as the curse had been lifted and he felt his talents were needed here more than ever before. He was a great teacher and he found he liked it, the students respected him and he did like terrifying them when they stepped out of line. The war had begun and those here knew it was going to be a hard road from here on out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogsmeade: June 1995:

Dudley Dursley was no fool, sure he hated his cousin and probably always would but he was not evil. He would not ever become a dark lord or join the current one, lord Voldemort, what a stupid name that was. Dudley had read the dark arts book and found it disturbing to say the least, he liked the idea of power sure but many spells were just hard for him to take. Of course he did not dare tell his Slytherin "friends" that, he liked living thank you very much. The day that he had found out he was a wizard and went to go shopping he had picked up quite a few books on this new world. Sure he had not liked to study but that was before he realized knowledge in this world was power and he wanted power and honor. He knew about the houses and when he was sorted to Slytherin he knew he had to be extra cunning, well mannered and humble or he would not survive.

He didn't really like many of his Slytherin friends, but they were very useful for him, he had gotten help from them in his third year when that blasted creature dared attack him and he wanted it dead. His baby cousin probably thought his wanting the creature dead was to spite him, not so. Animals that attacked humans deserved to be put down, plain and simple. His cousin was a thorn in his side and if not evil as close to it as he could become. Rumors were he was claiming the dark lord Voldemort was back and Dudley believed him but he was not about to side with him, ever. He very nearly ran into Draco who smirked at the muggleborn wizard.

"You are a fool." Draco said.

"So you say." Dudley replied casting a silencing spell around them, "I know about my so called friends, they may be using me but who is to say I am not using them back."

"You muggleborn, you think you belong in this world?" Draco said, "pathetic trying to play our games."

"I play to win, I may be muggleborn Malfoy but I am willing to defend this world can you say the same?" Dudley retorted.

"By reading dark arts books to fit in?" Draco sneered.

"I didn't like it, the dark arts are too violent for my taste, there are far better ways to get one's enemies." Dudley said, "you know if you follow Potter he will consume you in his quest for glory."

"So you say." Draco replied.

"I grew up with him, so who would know him better?" Dudley replied, "keep that in mind."

Dudley canceled the spell and left Draco there to just stare after him. Dudley was normally a bright wizard, he was able to gain connections from some very powerful people. Yet when it came to his own cousin his rage and anger to him knew no bounds. Draco knew that if he had a brother or sister or even cousin grow up with him he would have been good to them and not treated them like what Dudley was treating Harry. He headed to Honeydukes to get some cockroach clusters to send to the head of house Black (the man did like them) and he got licorice wands for Pansy before he headed back to the school.

What Draco did not know is the fact that Dudley was doing what he could to expose those students that were a threat to the magical world. This is what madam Umbridge had come and told him she wanted him to help her with and he was more than happy to do so. He thought this would help cement his place in this world and she promised him a great job when he got out of Hogwarts. He did not fully trust her but she had kept all her promises so far, he just hoped she would continue with that. With that resolve he walked to the post office to send his latest letter (he dared not trust the owlery as he was sure those owls were monitored) and he headed back to Hogwarts.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hogwarts: June 1995:

Harry smoothed down his robes feeling very nervous about what he was about to do. Officially the ministries stance on Voldemort was that he could not be back and that perhaps it was an imposter who had wanted to torture Harry. That did not mean that everyone believed that and that was why Harry was here to speak to the Slytherins. He followed Severus and Slughorn into the common room where the whole house of Slytherin was gathered. At once the tension rose and Harry wondered if this was a good idea. He saw Draco at give a slight nod and relaxed slightly as he walked to stand before the two hundred students that made up a quarter of the school. He knew there were charms in place that would keep what was said and done here today from ever leaving this place, those that did not agree with him would not even remember he had been here in fact.

"I know you heard the rumors." Harry started out, "that Voldemort is back."

"Don't his name!" Severus hissed.

"Sorry sir, Tommy boy then, well Tommy boy is back, very ugly and I saw exactly why he has such anger problems." Harry said, "he is rather small."

This got a small laugh from the gathered Slytherins.

"Why are you here?" Flint asked.

"I know what he offers you, I can't offer you wealth or power or anything like that." Harry said, "what I offer is freedom. I fight for the freedom of our world, none of this vague light or dark stuff either. I fight for what is right and for freedom, I came to you first as you guys tend to get shafted too much. Take my first year, that was wrong and cruel of the headmaster to do to you. You earned the cup and for him to do what he did, well it was wrong."

"So are you working with Dumbledore?" Pansy asked, "I don't want to align myself with anyone who supports that old fool."

"If he fights for freedom of our world then yes, if not then he is against me, against our glorious land and honorable queen." Harry said, "who is willing to stand for England, for our queen and our way of life? Follow Voldemort and I can guarantee he will expose us to the muggles fully and this time we will not survive. Follow me and I will see that our world is kept as safe as I can and free."

"I will follow you Harry." Draco said stepping forward, "sod what my father says, this is my choice, for freedom!"

"I will follow you to." Daphne said.

Harry watched in awe as student after student stepped forward and agreed to follow him. Slughorn had been right when he told him he had to step forward and take the role he was chosen for. He had to lead and the best place to start was Slytherin house, his old house. Harry was surprised when even the fifth, sixth and seventh years stepped forward, to them he was a skinny little runt but they wanted to follow him? Yet the students did not see him as a runty teen boy but a leader they could follow, he offered what they wanted most, freedom and that they would rally around gladly. Soon only ten students out of the two hundred had not stepped forward, one of course Harry had not expect to step forward, Dudley stood back refusing with his band of friends to come forward.

"Good, all of you must know that if you do this you could die." Severus said, "I have a death threat on my head, the dark lord did not like that I refused to rejoin him. However how was I to know he was alive? After all the goblins reported him dead and I only agreed to follow him until either he died or I did."

"Not very smart on his part, so how did he come back?" Pansy asked.

"Evil magic, darkest of all." Slughorn said, "worry not he will not stay around long, not with such wonderful children as you to show how noble our great house, house Slytherin is!"

"Yea we are that, we will show the rest of the school mostly those lazy lions, present lion excluded of course." Draco said getting laughs from this.

"Well then, I ah have to get work done, let you lot work out whatever you have to work out that you are not working out." Harry said.

"We might have a chance to convert him after all." Blaise said his dark eyes glittering a smirk on his dark features.

Harry left house Slytherin and headed back through the school and pretended to not notice the bug on his shoulder. He knew who this was of course, he had been working with her all year and had offered her safe haven if she was targeted as he knew she would be. He told her as much as he could about what was going on and gave his official statement to go in the _Daily Prophet_, if that did not work (as he was sure it would not) she was going to put it in the _Quibbler_. Rita Skeeter loved scandal and this was perfect for her, helping such a sweet young boy too made her feel good too. Harry was to her such a dear boy and she really wanted to help him, which was why she would write the story of her career, she was sure this would cement her into the annals of history and that was something she very much looked forward to.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So tons of stuff in this chapter, Harry has an emergency portkey on him at all times that takes him directly to the Hogwarts infirmary. This meant he did not need to use the galleon but gave it to Wormtail as a gift in his escape from the graveyard. Fudge is a rather thick man yes and has to see something to believe it, which is why madam Bones made him watch the memories in the pensive. As for Harry crying as he did, well how do you think he felt about killing someone else? This is Harry Potter we are talking about, he would hate to kill but he would here if he had to._

_I know many have criticized how I am portraying Dudley, he is not evil, he is not going dark or wicked. He grew up with his mother telling him out bad and wicked and worthless Harry was. He still believes Harry is bad and a horrible person. He wants power and thinks by reporting on Harry he will gain that, he makes a perfect Slytherin in many ways. He was sneaky growing up, (in all the bad ways) sot those who had power and he just continued that in Hogwarts. He is not stupid though, he knows what he is doing and knows how he is viewed in this world, its why he has done all he can to be the "perfect muggleborn servant" in school and yes he could be smart enough to do this._

_As for Harry speaking to Slytherin house, it was needed and badly. Severus did pledge to follow Voldemort to death, and I would imagine the goblins really not liking the dark dork would do what they could to stick it to him while keeping their carefully won neutrality. Claiming him dead would be one way to do that and Severus could wiggle out of his allegiance to Voldemort with this sort of out. I mean his pledge did not say who's death now did it? Most secret oaths do state to death in them so I would imagine the one Severus swore was the same._

So do review please!


	16. Chapter 16: Number 12 Grimmauld Place

Chapter 16: Number 12 Grimmauld Place:

Malfoy Manor: July 1995:

Draco fingered the pendant under his robes that would lead him to safety if this did not work, in fact he was sure it would not and was braced for intense pain. He walked as brave as he could into the drawing room where his father sat before the fireplace two of his large deerhounds seated by him. He looked up at his son, growing tall and strong standing before him a look of defiance in his gray eyes. Lucius hoped Draco was not coming to ask for the mark, his heart would break if his son did that. Draco was scared as he stared down his father, a great man, a powerful wizard, a father he looked up to. Yet he knew that was going to end in a few short minutes when he was forever disowned and kicked out of his family. At least he had Sirius Black who could help him through this as he had to do the same thing near his age too.

"Father I wish to tell you I am not going to join the dark lord." Draco said.

"Ah I see." Lucius said shocked at this turn of events.

"I know you wish me to but I cannot join one who will destroy our world. I accept the fact that you will disown me and I will no longer by a Malfoy, I will leave now." Draco said.

"I am proud of you." Lucius said standing and putting his hands on his son's shoulders. "I am so very proud of you."

Draco looked up at his father in shock, his father accepted what he was doing? Was not his father loyal to the dark lord? He knew from the kindly look from his father and small smile he was not and it made him glad and once more proud of his father. Lucius would keep his word, Harry Potter had survived the rise of Voldemort (as had he barely) and he would do all he could to get rid of the evil dark lord once and for all. His son was just the kind of son he could be so proud of though he would miss him staying here at Malfoy manor, it simply was not safe. Even though he had no intention of telling the dark lord his son refused to join him it was best if he stayed with his wife's cousin. Narcissa had come into the room and was smiling, glad her son was taking the right path.

"It will not be safe for you to stay here." Lucius said, "I want you to but it will be safer if you are with lord Black."

"I will tell my sister you are staying with some of your friends for the summer as my sister will no doubt wish to stay here." Narcissa said, "I will tell her I don't trust her around children."

"Thank you mother." Draco said.

"You will want to use the portkey Sirius gave you." Lucius said taking Draco into a hug, "I am so proud of you son, remember that no matter what and I love you."

"I love you to father." Draco said.

"Now go, stay safe."

This was as emotional as the Malfoy family got, and it was earned, Lucius knew there could be a chance he would die but his son he was determined would be safe. Draco was doing the right thing even if he had not, he wanted his world to survive and under Voldemort it would not. He stepped back and let Narcissa fuss over Draco and then with a small pop Draco was whisked away leaving the Malfoys alone in their manor. They could only hope that the war ended soon and they stood a chance of surviving.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Grimmauld Place: July 1995:

Two Siamese cats, with fawn coats and sable paws, tail and masks with beautiful blue eyes were stalking a hawk seated on the banister. One of the cats had a kinked tail and both were strong sturdy "traditional" Siamese cats, they thought they had the upper hand as the hawk was cleaning his feathers. One cat jumped and the hawk turned flew off then started to chase the cats. The hawk screamed at the cats who ran down the stairs, into the kitchen where they jumped up on the table and very nearly knocked over Remus's tea. Sirius saw them and could not help himself and soon the deep barks of Padfoot could be heard as he chased cats and hawk through the house. The hawk called Grayfeather turned to Harry Potter and headed to the kitchen with Fred and George in human form the teens being hungry.

Unfortunately this left Padfoot on his own and he caught the scent of a strange yet somewhat familiar cat. He made his way into the library and saw a good sized long haired brown tabby with brown eyes seated reading a book. He barked and charged the cat who took one look at him, hissed and ran out of the room with the dog fast on her tail. This was Lightfoot or Hermione in her Animagmus form and she had just finally got her form down. As a cat she was scared nearly witless as Padfoot chased her barking joyfully. That is until Tabby showed up green eyes glowing arched back bristled tail hissing and spitting at him. He backed up and turned human just as Tabby turned to McGonagall and Lightfoot to Hermione.

"Ah hello ladies?" Sirius said.

"You dare do that you horrible man!" Hermione yelled at him, "I should turn you into a quaffle you stupid prat!"

"You are incorrigible Mr. Black!" McGonagall replied.

"I live to please!" Sirius replied with a winning grin.

Before Sirius was about to be turned to ash by a furious Hermione there was the sound of a thump in the entry hall. Everyone headed down to find a happy Draco brushing off his robes and looking around the spotless hall. Kreacher had come forward and it was clear he liked Draco at once though he did look back to Sirius for direction on what to do.

"My father sent me here for safety." Draco said, "when I renounced the dark lord he was actually happy."

"He what?" Sirius said looking stunned.

"He does not want him back, was glad I am not joining him. He wants you Potter to know he supports you now you survived the return of Voldemort."

"So he just backed me because I once more survived?" Harry asked. "How…"

"Slytherin," Severus said, "so your father is against the dark lord, he will help bring him down?"

"What about his stand on other things?" Hermione asked.

"Well one step at a time Hermione, one step at a time." Sirius replied.

"Just as we can hope Black gains brains." Severus said getting Sirius to glare at him, "don't even try anything, I can take your inbred arse down anytime."

"Let's go get some food, Mrs. Weasley has come to an agreement with Kreacher. He lets her cook and she lets him clean up." Harry said.

"Glad to see she treats him right then." Draco said, "father learned the hard way how to treat a house elf, how is Dobby?"

"Doing well, he and Winky are now bonded and she is expecting a little elf." Harry replied.

"Another sign of a happy healthy house elf." Draco said, "glad to see you know how to treat them correctly Potter."

Harry was impressed that Draco would treat what he would consider an "inferior" well like this. Then again he was spoiled and could be a bit of a bully if not reigned in but he was not a bad sort at all. Draco followed Severus to the kitchen and nervously took a seat at the table. Molly was told what had happened and smiled at Draco, it was very clear to all here she would take good care of the young wizard just as she did others here. She did fix Fred and George with a fierce glare and they actually took her silent hint and dared not try to prank him, yet. That would come later of course.

The next morning Draco was up early and walked from what he learned had been Sirius's brother's room. He was humbled that he would allow him to stay here, then again Sirius did want him to feel at home as it was a fully Slytherin room. He walked down to the kitchen and stopped short at the wonderful smells. He saw Molly working on what looked like flat cakes in a pan. Like most English wizards and witches he had never had pancakes much less seen one, accept at Hogwarts when a Canadian student had some at the Hufflepuff table each morning. In fact Molly had a good Canadian friend who taught her how to make them and traded maple syrup for Molly's homemade gooseberry jam. She had made them for her family each morning and now Draco was to have them for the first time, he thanked her for the stack she set before him drowning in butter and syrup and he took a bite and at once was in heaven.

"These are amazing Mrs. Weasley!" Draco said even dipping a sausage into the syrup, "thank you!"

"You are welcome Draco, I am glad you like them." Molly said dishing up an even larger plate for Severus and pouring him a cup of strong coffee. "I learned from a friend of mine from Canada who went to Hogwarts when I did."

"So this is a Canadian invention, not American?" Severus said.

"American Indian actually, the Americans just adopted it." Molly replied just as the rest of the house came into the room and she set stacks of pancakes before the others here, "they are easy to make."

"Ah but none could make them as well as you mum." Fred said taking his stack.

"Yes the house elves at Hogwarts try their best but nothing compares to mother's cooking." George added and seeing Kreacher scowling, "but house elves are brilliant at so much."

"True brother dearest." Fred said, "very smart, only way I could pass my history exams you know."

"Morning Percy!" George said to Percy who entered the room last.

"Sod off you two I am not in the mood for you this morning." Percy snapped.

"Right-o, like my nose unbroken thanks." Fred said.

"Though Percy oh noble brother you need to enjoy the lighter side of life." George replied.

"Thought I was doing that when I thrashed you two." Percy replied taking his plate from his mother. "Thank you mother."

It was only too true, after years of pranks and jokes aimed at him by his brothers Percy snapped. He had gone after Fred and George and proceeded to do what brothers do and beat both up. They fought back but he proved he could fight and when Molly came up to see what had happened she found her twins seated on the ground with broken noses with Percy over them blooded, his glasses cracked looking murderous. Fred and George had laughed and ever since then had not dared prank Percy realizing they gone too far with yet another brother. Bill could and did take them over his knee and Charlie was very good with a stinging hex, Percy it turned out was good with his fists. Percy did not get in trouble as there are times that siblings had to work things out this way Molly knew. Remus took a strong cup of tea with his stack of pancakes and the teens had either pumpkin juice or orange juice.

"So all you took them on and won?" Draco said looking from Percy to the stocky twins, "you get in trouble for that?"

"No why would he? I warned them and they had to learn the hard way." Molly said, "I very nearly had them heal each other instead of doing so."

"As if you could do that Molly, bloody mothering instincts." Severus muttered as he ate.

"Well someone has to mend them." Hermione said as she practically inhaled the pancakes. "Mrs. Weasley is the best."

"Indeed she is." Percy said, "that and no one does breakfast like she does."

"That why you pop in each morning?" Fred asked.

"You should live here." George replied, "great house."

"Not with you two here, I needed to get away from you!" Percy shot at them, "besides I well Penny and well, we will get married but well…"

"As long as you treat her right." Molly said not exactly pleased with one of her sons living with a girl out of marriage but she knew Percy was under a lot of stress and she was not going to add to that, "do get her a ring soon though, I do want grandchildren."

"Mum!" Percy said blushing.

"Well I bet they are trying really hard in that department." Sirius said, his smile faded at the glare he got, "can I have more coffee please?"

"No, last thing we need is you hyper." Remus said.

"Fine tea then!"

"No sugar though." Remus added.

"You are no fun, why must you be this way?" Sirius whined.

"Because you on a sugar high is no fun, you get annoying." Remus replied.

"I think he is always annoying." Severus replied, "but then he is inbred, were not your parents brother and sister?"

"Close, first cousins, mother and father are related but only by fifth cousins I think." Draco replied.

"Your line needs fresh blood." Molly said, "and not the way that headmaster Black says either, Hermione would kill you."

"Yes I would." Hermione said and at the smirk from Draco, "headmaster Black thinks that a muggleborn like me who tries to fit into the magical world can strengthen the magical world, once in a great while pureblooded families need a muggleborn, though you don't stand a chance with me Malfoy!"

"Good, you are way too bossy for me!" Draco said, "besides I like Pansy a bit, she is sweet I suppose, Millicent is very nice too, she acts as a protector, much like Vince and Greg do. Then there is Luna." At the snort from Sirius, "what she is very powerful, a bit loony yes but very powerful and smart. I could not go wrong marrying into the Lovegood family."

It was not uncommon for magical families to talk about marriage at a young age. Though the teens were encouraged to concentrate on their studies in school and there were wards from the days of the founders to "keep the seed of families pure" the teens still thought about marriage and sex and other things a lot. Draco was raised to think of not only love for marriage but to find a powerful bride to boot. That was why his father had wooed Narcissa Black, out of all her sisters she showed the most promise, power and grace to move about the highest pureblood circles. It did not hurt that she matched her husband well with honey blond hair and gray eyes and tall shapely frame to his tall strong frame. Draco found he did not mind being in a house of lions, his godfather was here and though he knew there was a chance he could lose his parents in this war they did make him feel so very proud of how brave both were to go against the dark lord.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Riddle Manor: July 1995:

Voldemort sat on his throne brooding, things were not working out as well as he had hoped coming back. First off he had underestimated one Harry Potter, he was more angry with himself for that though he would not say that of course. He was glad his adversary was strong and he was impressed at how he had taken out most of his inner circle. It did mean he would have to rebuild quickly though so far most of the youth he tried to contact wanted nothing to do with him. Something about wanting freedom and not wanting him as their master, the nerve, well he would teach them a lesson. At least he still had Bellatrix and Lucius, he could not be harsh with Lucius, he had been punished by Ginny Weasley and so for now he would not punish him.

Worse news was that all the work that MacNair had done, the fake deaths at Azkaban that allowed the "dead" inmates to stage a revolt in the prison unseen as they hid and gained strength. The escape and the careful planning had been for naught, all were now dead, all his inner circle was dead and only Bellatrix and Lucius remained, he had lower ranking death eaters, mostly thugs, werewolves and vampires but very few strong witches or wizards. He was going to make the Potter brat pay for killing off his inner circle, maybe he should target the brat's family? Then again the brat did not get along with his relations, perhaps he could stage an attack and make it look as if it were the Potter brat's doing, at least for the Dursley brat. He could use a mudblood servant like him, or just kill him slowly, either way he would hurt Harry Potter badly before he finally killed him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_I wanted to show that Lucius can do the right thing, he did in the last book after all. He would be smart to have his own son sent to safety and that is what he had to do here. He does not want Voldemort back that is for sure. As for Molly serving her family pancakes, a bit of a liberty there. I am aware this is not a breakfast item in England but she could have learned about it in school, I am sure there are a few foreign students at Hogwarts, mostly from the commonwealth nations, Canada being one of them. Besides pancakes and real sausage dipped in maple syrup (the real stuff not the fake kind created in a lab) is heaven on earth. Far better than bacon and eggs, though that alongside pancakes is really good as well, now I know what to make this weekend for breakfast! Or I will just go to IHOP (International House of Pancakes) and get some real boysenberry syrup on my pancakes…_

Do please review!


	17. Chapter 17: A Needed Capture

Chapter Seventeen: A Needed Capture:

Harry winced as Slughorn tended the cut on the side of his head, Harry knew his mentor wanted to chide him for going after Bellatrix. She had recruited several new death eaters and had decided to attack his relations. Now Harry did not get along with his aunt, uncle or cousin but he did not want them dead. It was a good thing he had been in the neighborhood visiting with Mrs. Figg when she attacked. To say Harry was upset would be putting it mildly, he had attacked but was not a match for these death eaters, Bellatrix knew his tricks and he was forced on the defensive. However the Order of the Phoenix guard here to protect his family in secret had got reinforcements and quickly came into the neutralize the death eaters. It was well known Harry did not get along with his relations and Bellatrix had gambled that he would not have them protected, she gambled wrong and had been captured because of it.

"Now you really should have left the battle when the order came." Slughorn said as Harry winced as Slughorn patched him up, "yet I fear you are so like your mother, she was stubborn, far more than your father ever could be."

"I had unfinished business with that bitch." Harry replied, "and I am not the only one."

"No you are not, your relations are in a safe location and we did get five death eaters." Slughorn said.

"There were ten." Harry replied.

He went quiet and Slughorn knew he wanted to get his hands on Bellatrix. That could not happen, he knew the teen would kill her and at the moment they needed her alive. He left Harry with Sirius and headed to Hogwarts where Bellatrix was being held. He came to the rooms she was being held in and saw she was bound and guarded by goblins in a rune inscribed chair, one she was not going to escape from. Severus had entered the room with the Veritaserum required for her interrogation. She smiled up at him getting Severus to glare at her in rage, Slughorn could see a slight tremor in his hand, clearly he feared her and he wondered just what Bellatrix had done to him. Severus refused to show any emotion as he handed the Veritaserum to Dumbledore.

"Ah Severus I thought you would be back at the dark lord's side, not here with these fools." Bellatrix said.

"You should know Bellatrix I always side with the strongest." Severus said softly, "the dark lord does not hold the power he once did."

"Oh? He came back, he is strong!" Bellatrix snarled.

"He was hidden for thirteen years, and even then had to have help to come back fully, a mere babe defeated him and that same child escaped and killed many of his followers. Tell me why should I follow the dark lord? He is weak!"

Severus knew how to play the dangerous game he was now playing. He knew this would get back to Voldemort, and he wanted it to. He knew how it would, well maybe not hurt the evil dark lord but it would enrage him to no end to hear his one-time loyal shadow now saw him weak and not worth following. There was much more to it than that of course but that was all Voldemort needed to know. Severus stayed around for the interrogation, however the Veritaserum did not work on Bellatrix and so with frustration she was turned over to the ministry to be thrown back in Azkaban. Once there she would get the kiss and hopefully that would deal a major blow to Voldemort.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Severus went to bed that night and went to sleep and he dreamed and his dreams were not pleasant at all. _He was back before Voldemort after going to Lily and James and then at their urging to Dumbledore. Clad in his black death eater robes and mask he knelt before Voldemort who had not called a full meeting. He had wanted to meet with him and Severus wondered if he had been found out. With Voldemort, as always was the Inquisitor, a woman clad in high collared inner robes with long sleeves and an outer gown with tight bodice with loose three quarter sleeves and long full skirts. Her hair was long and hung loose in curls down her back and she had a silver mask on her face. She scared Severus as he knew she was the one Voldemort used for discipline and he wondered what was to happen to him now._

"_My Shadow, you have disappointed me." Voldemort said softly, "you were to get a job at Hogwarts, true you brought me a prophecy which is why I do not kill you now." _

"_I am sorry master." Severus replied fear coursing through him._

"_Yes however you will be punished." Voldemort said raising his wand, "you will face my Inquisitor, Stupefy!"_

_Severus woke to find himself stripped of his own clothing, naked but for a rag about his hips as a loincloth. He was allowed this as the Inquisitor was a witch and he was to be punished not used as a plaything as it were. He was in chains and before he fully could figure out where he was he felt those chains jerked up and he was stung up by his wrists spread eagled barely on his feet. He saw the witch enter the room, before he could react or speak he was hit with a strong Crucio curse. He could do nothing but scream in pain but this was not the worst of things to come, magical torture he was used to, what she did next he was not. She took out a whip and proved to be very skilled with it, she cut him enough to draw blood but nothing so deep as to tear muscle or nick bone. She was after pain and scars not disfigurement._

_She finished after a time leaving Severus trembling and in pain, and Voldemort came into the room. Severus was drifting in and out of consciousness and Voldemort wanted his full attention. With a wave of his wand a bucket of salt water was dumped on Severus's bleeding back. With a cry he was fully awake and forced to look into his master's eyes. He was barely able to keep key things from him, he knew he had convinced Voldemort of the reason he wanted Lily alive. Voldemort thought he only wanted her as revenge, because she spurned him and this got Voldemort to laugh softly. He traced a finger down Severus's face and brushed a lock of his hair from his face, all Severus could do was hang there in pain._

"_You will go and gain a job at Hogwarts." Voldemort said, "if not the defense job then potions, I want you there my shadow." _

"_Yes master." Severus replied._

"_I believe Slughorn wishes to retire, and I know he sees you as talented." Voldemort said. "Fail me again and it will pain me greatly but I will have to kill you." _

"_I understand master, I will not fail you." Severus said, "I am sorry." _

"_I know, I know that is why I had you punished, I care and only want you to become great." Voldemort said running a hand down Severus's face. "Now I have something I want to show you if you gain this job, something I want you to watch over." _

Severus came awake quickly soaked with cold sweat, he got up and cast a tempus charm, it was one in the morning and he knew exactly where one of the Horcruxes was and he knew what it was. He dressed quickly and made his way up to the headmaster's office giving the password he headed up to the office to find Dumbledore there fully dressed and ready to head out. He was clad in robes of navy and he looked over at Severus with surprise and Severus knew exactly where he was going.

"It's a trap." Severus said, "where you are going headmaster, Voldemort created a trap for any who would go there."

"What do you know?" Dumbledore asked.

"The dark lord told me a secret of one of his anchors, the shack, he put a spell on the ring and had me make a potion he could add to make it permanent."

"He would have blocked that memory if you had gone back." Dumbledore said, "is this when he had you punished?"

"Yes, I know how to get it, I can take it to the goblins." Severus said.

"Your life is in danger, you cannot go out." Dumbledore protested.

"I must, please I have my form, I will be careful." Severus said.

"I am going with you." Dumbledore replied.

In the end both set off for Little Hangleton and made their way to the graveyard. Dumbledore was worried for Severus but knew the younger wizard would not let him "fuss over him" as he put it. With Severus's help they got past the wards and Severus carefully removed the ring and transfigured a fake to put back in its place. He put the ring in a silk bag and into his robe pocket well away from Dumbledore. Severus was able to put the wards back up and left with Dumbledore. They came back to Hogwarts where Dumbledore handed the sword of Gryffindor to Severus who looked at it but did not take it.

"Godric would not mind you a pure Slytherin to use his sword for this." Dumbledore said, "Salazar was his best friend after all and I am sure despite a fallout they still cared for each other."

"Are you sure, what I have done…"

"What better way to continue on your path to redemption?" Dumbledore said, "you have made mistakes, we all have, but you have proven better than even I."

"I am not better than you, I joined the dark lord! I caused death and destruction I am not better than you." Severus said.

"You took a vow to protect Harry," at Severus's startled look, "yes Slughorn was impressed by that, your loyalty makes you more Hufflepuff don't you think?"

"Hardly headmaster, I am Slytherin through and through thank you very much!" Severus said getting Dumbledore to smile, "after all I could not be head of Slytherin if I was not!"

With that remark he left the office in a billow of black robes to try and get any more sleep this night. He realized he had saved Dumbledore's life and that if he had gone back to Voldemort his memories would have been taken from him. Another reason to hate Voldemort even more, he got back to his quarters, changed to his nightshirt and went back to bed to try and get a few more hours of sleep.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Slughorn found Severus the next day standing looking over the grounds of Hogwarts high on the astronomy tower, the highest tower in Hogwarts. Severus was deep in thought but turned as Slughorn came up and stood by him, he knew Severus was in conflict and he did not blame him. After all it would be confusing for Severus with how Dumbledore had started to treat him better. It was a good thing Dumbledore was doing but still Slughorn knew how confused it made Severus.

"He is trying you know." Slughorn said, "he does care about you."

"I cannot see why." Severus replied, "he always saw me as a tool to be used, a weapon nothing more."

"He realized his mistakes, and you did save him, he is glad you did not go back."

"I could have done so much more good." Severus countered.

"No, you are doing more good now, with your knowledge you dealt a great blow to Tom." Slughorn said refusing to call Voldemort by his false name, "stop doubting yourself, you are a good man."

"I have a hard time believing that."Severus replied.

"Harry thinks the world of you." Slughorn said.

"There is that." Severus replied.

"Ah and Molly has made, if I am not mistake a treacle tart for everyone."

"That is a bribe to get me to come down and you know it." Severus said.

He followed Slughorn down with the other man's chuckles in his ears. They flooed to Grimmauld place from Dumbledore's office to find the order there and more good news, the goblins had given Bill the Hufflepuff cup and now the diary, ring, locket, and cup were no longer Horcruxes. There was only one more left and that was Nagini, once she was dead Voldemort was mortal and Harry would finish him off.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_So yes it has been a bit of time since I updated. Severus here was able to get the ring and keep Dumbledore safe at the same time. Oh and of course capturing Bellatrix is always a good time too._

_Anyway do review!_


	18. Chapter 18: The End of An Evil

Chapter Eighteen: The End of An Evil:

Voldemort could not understand how things had ended up this way. He was suppose to end up well on his way to ruling the world, not end up like this. How had he gotten captured in the first place? How had a young girl barely in her teens and still in school manage to capture him, Lord Voldemort? Maybe he should have thought more on house elves and goblins, but he knew the Weasley family was poor, how could they of all people capture him like this? He had not been aware how much danger he was in when he lost his inner circle, or how he was unable to gain new followers at all.

He had woke up in this plain dungeon room, to add insult to injury he was clad in a prison uniform, a tunic and trousers of wide black and gray horizontal strips and nothing more. He was cold, used to his charmed warm silk and wool robes he was not in a good mood. The fact he had a mithril collar connected to a chain to a pole angered him. He was not fully grasping the fact he was captured and finished and he was going to die permanently. He looked up as the door to the room opened and the dimly lit chamber was filled with golden light. He looked up in surprise as Ginny Weasley, clad in long green robes, her long flaming red hair flowing behind her shoulders and her brown eyes hard with anger.

"Hello Tom." Ginny said coldly wand out setting a dark blue rune circle around him, "time to chat."

"Ah Ginny, good to see you." Voldemort said trying to turn on the charm, "very clever girl to capture me, you are quite strong."

"Well I had help, goblins don't like it when anyone tries to cheat death. More so when one does so with a great evil like a Horcrux."

"I will see they die, I will destroy…"

"No Tom you will not." Ginny said pacing before him, "you know there are many tortures I could use on you, so many ways I could make you scream for mercy. But I will not, seeing you defeated and helpless is the perfect revenge for me."

"Whatever did I do to you my dear?" Voldemort said, one could not say he did not know how to charm people, "I would not ever mean to harm you."

"Liar, I know all about you, all about your evil thoughts and desires, and all your lies. How you grew up in a poor but good orphanage, how you were treated well there. Yet you choice to be evil, to hurt others. No more Tom, no more, Harry will get his chance to fulfill the prophecy."

"Ah you know of that?" Voldemort asked standing up getting Ginny to raise her wand, "tell me of it."

"It says you lose." Ginny said walking to the door, "enjoy your stay, I will see that you get fed, would not want you to starve now would we?"

Ginny was not being nice, no she was playing mind games of course and Voldemort had to be kept on his toes. In a few days he would face Harry who had his right to kill him and then he would die. Ginny would be there to see him dead, he had after all ruined many lives, she still had nightmares about Voldemort to this day. He would pay, but she would show she was the better person and _not_ torture him, or harm him. She left the room and Alastor Moody entered, he had a score to settle with the dark lord and smiled menacingly at the evil dark lord who had to quickly mask his fear.

"Not so brave when it is just you are ye boy?" Moody said, leaning on his staff, "I don't take kindly to torture, didn't enjoy what your lot did."

"You deserved it, we are at war." Voldemort snapped back.

"I agree we are at war and in war some must die, but I do not hold to torture boy, never had and never will. But I can make others talk, oh yes I am very good at that, that why you sent your thugs to sort me out as you did? Not very nice to do to a fellow Slytherin is it heir of Salazar as you claim to be is it?"

"You did not belong in his house, you betrayed him…"

"No ye did, Salazar was a hard an' harsh man, none will deny it but he was a good man, he was. He believed in pure of heart, pure of soul, aye he was against the muggleborn but at that time most could not read much less write and it was hard to collect them from their families at first. But ye did not study that did you, you took the parts you saw fit your twisted view and used them."

"I do not need to hear from you Moody." Voldemort snarled.

"Ye are no longer the only heir, strange that it went to a Gryffindor but it did, young Harry Potter by rightful conquest will be, you will die fer your crimes boy." Moody said coldly. "Enjoy yer stay, I would ask if ye wanted a priest or religious leader…"

"Save your breath, I have no need of priests and fakers when I am lord of all the earth!"

"Ye are delusional boy, good bye." Moody snapped.

He walked from the room leaving Voldemort alone with his thoughts and they were not happy ones at all. He had brought on himself the condemnation of God and deep inside he feared death not because it was the end but because he knew full well where he was going and it was not a pretty place at all. He could have been great in a good way, he could have led the world to a new age but instead he decided to tread the dark and evil paths that now would lead to his death and downfall.

Moody limped up the stairs and came to the basement of Grimmauld Place. He took a seat and allowed Molly to give him a cup of hot cocoa. He had started to trust her, part of his paranoia was due to being poisoned and captured that way and part due to old injuries sustained in his captivity with Voldemort. He had a very good reason to hate Voldemort and death eaters and one could see what part of what they had done to him in his face and missing leg.

"I didn't do a thing to him." Moody said, "just talked is all, I wanted to tear him to pieces, to make him suffer but I didn't do it."

"Well I know you are a better man than him, which is why I had no problem letting you go down there." Molly said, "I would not be as noble as you."

"Well he is pure evil, but Harry will take care of him soon enough." Moody said, "how did Ginny manage to get her hands on him anyway?"

"I found out that Goblins are noble people and not at all as I thought them to be." Molly said, "they helped and should be honored for what they did."

It had taken Ginny two weeks to find out were Riddle manor was and to gain help of the goblins and a few house elves to do what she had done. The house elves had blended into the staff of the manor and had slipped the sleeping potion to the evil dark lord. With no reliable inner circle Voldemort was very vulnerable and this was when Ginny struck and brought him down. Soon he would never again harm anyone else, ever.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Anti-climatic, that was how the capture of Voldemort felt to Harry. He had expected a battle, for the war to continue on for at least another year or so. Yet with the help of Ginny, the goblins and a few brave house elves Voldemort was now going to die, at his hand. Harry was going to allow him the honor of a last duel. It would be on Harry's terms though, and he would show no matter how evil battered and beat and good and right, good always, in the end prevailed. This was why Harry stood at the head of the great hall waiting, he was clad in dragonskin armor and green battle robes trimmed in green. Voldemort was led in, clad in black robes and allowed to stand free before Harry who glared up at him (though not too much as he was nearing his adult height).

"Hello Tom, I trust you had an uneventful stay?" Harry asked.

"You dare imprison me, the dark lord Voldemort?" Voldemort hissed.

"Yes, I did, you cannot be allowed to live." Harry replied calmly, "today you will die."

"We will see about that boy!" Voldemort snarled.

"A duel, swords only." Harry said, "unless you are below such things."

"You will die boy, and then I will destroy your world!" Voldemort snarled, "all who went against me will pay in pain, suffering and blood!"

"As do those who followed you." Severus snapped, "I have not forgiven you for the humiliation and torture and lies you did against me!"

"Let's do this, bring the swords." Harry said coldly.

Dumbledore watched as one of his former students and one of his students under him now prepared to face off. He looked to Harry, so much was put on him but he was so strong and noble just like a hero should be! He was willing to walk into danger again and again even if it meant he would die. Dumbledore felt badly for how he had left him with his aunt and uncle, he thought the boy would be loved and cared for but he was not. Yet despite that he was such a good boy, so was, he looked up as Harry gave his challenge to Voldemort.

"It's just you and me Tom." Harry said taking out the ancient sword of Potter that had been in his family for ages. "I am going to kill you and you will not be coming back ever again!"

"Oh really boy?" Voldemort hissed taking out his own sword, "you will find I am as good with sword as with wand and you will die by my blade!"

"No not today." Harry said then turning to the others in the hall, "could you give us a bit of room please?" Everyone moved back to the walls, "thank you."

"I will smite thee dead!" Voldemort said rising up in the air wand out glowing with magic.

"Hmmm, you can fly, thought that only those with fairy dust and a happy thought could." Harry said and Severus smirked in amusement, "well lets have some fun then!"

Harry had been trained by Severus and Flitwick both as they were the only two British wizards alive besides Voldemort who could fly without support. Harry proved that yet another could fly very well, thank you very much, still he had to battle a strong evil dark lord to death. Then again the body Voldemort was in was "new" and even with a few flaws it was working very well for him. Even so Harry had trained far more extensively than Voldemort had and he was a teen boy and had a lot of energy as such. He drew first blood and Voldemort hissed in pain his eyes going red and he poured magic into his sword causing it to glow red. Harry responded pouring his own magic into his causing it to turn green.

"Wicked this is like Star Wars!" Harry said, "light sabers anyone?"

"I love those movies." Flitwick said from where he stood on a transfigured pedestal so he could see the battle better, "Harry is quite good."

"Aye that he is." Moody said impressed by the battle, "very strong he is."

"He is stronger than I am." Dumbledore said smiling, "and he is a great wizard."

"Greater than us all." Slughorn added watching with pride as Harry proved he could take on a dark lord, "such a good young man, one all of us should look up to!"

While they spoke Harry and Voldemort battled on and Voldemort was beginning to get tired. He may have an advanced body but he had to use all his magic just to keep on the mortal plane and to fight Harry. All his anchors were gone and the last killing curse (against a weaker follower who had annoyed him) he had used was weakening him with every breath. Harry pressed his advantage and hacked off Voldemort's sword arm causing Voldemort to howl in pain, he had his wand and he used that to stop the bleeding and with a snarl turned on Harry.

"You know Tom I know what the power is that you don't." Harry said.

"Oh really love?" Tom snarled.

"How about the hand of God?" Harry said then at the look of confusion on Voldemort's face, "fine would you believe it if I said witches magic?"

"You will die you horrible brat!" Voldemort hissed.

"No but you will." Harry replied lashing out with his sword to slice Voldemort in half. "Go to hell, say hi to Grindlewald for me."

Voldemort fell to the floor dead and Harry walked over to make sure he was dead and when he was sure he carefully wiped his sword of Voldemort's blood on dead dark lord's robes. With that done he turned to see if there were any death eaters he could take down who might still be on the side of Voldemort and saw there were none. He realized the war was over and Ginny had got to him first and he had his arms around her and she was giving him the best gift of all as she was kissing him passionately. Lucius had thrown his wand away and now was on his knees before Harry, who grabbed him by the arm and forced him to stand.

"You do not kneel before me." Harry said, "but you will pay for crimes you have done."

"I would deserve no less." Lucius replied.

"An unbreakable vow, that you or your line will never follow a dark lord or lady again." Harry said.

"Of course lord Potter." Lucius said, "Severus please bind us." The oath was made and Draco actually felt relieved, he could not follow a dark lord or lady himself and that was fine with him, "anything else my lord?"

"Compensation to the Weasley family." Harry said, "and you know why."

"I do, one million galleons." Lucius said.

"No see here, we do not need your charity!" Molly snarled, "you cannot buy us off, we will not take your gold!"

"It is my gold or my life." Lucius said, "the ancient laws cannot be denied, and that was a million galleons to each of your children and a million to both you and Arthur Weasley."

"That is far too generous." Arthur stammered, "one million total, it is all we will take."

"Agreed." Fred added.

"Quite right by brother." George chimed in.

"One million is more than enough," Ron said having grown up and refusing to be greedy.

"So it shall be done." Lucius said.

With that done the body of Voldemort was taken and way and buried on a funeral pyre. It was the end of a dark and evil time in magical Briton, one that everyone was glad to see ended. Harry accepted the hugs and handshakes and wondered what his life would contain now that he was truly free of Voldemort. It was of course not the end of his journey, no though the war was ended there was one more surprise for the magical word. A young child would need a home and though Harry could not step forward to take the young boy Sirius could, and would and this would start the healing process for many who had lost hope on the future at all.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Sorry for the really long review, I did revise this story and finally found the way I wanted it to go. I did take out a lot I did not like and added what I did. This is the final form and there is more to come. Voldemort is gone but the world needs to heal and I do hope to continue showing at least a small part of that._

Anyway please review!


End file.
